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Strike The Strike-All Amendments

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 11, 2008

Speaking of CSX, when House members finally gathered to discuss the transportation bill, the measure looked nothing like it had. In its place was a 171-page strike-all amendment that replaced every word.

Then, five minutes before the vote, came a 151-page strike-all amendment to the strike-all amendment.

Rep. Susan Bucher, a Miami Democrat well known in the Capitol for asking probing questions - and lots of them - rose to object. "We need to shine some light on this project and make sure what we're doing here," she said. "...I haven't read it. I don't know what it does."

And that's the problem. All too frequently, lawmakers use a strike-all amendment to substitute new language - often a completely different topic - that's never been heard in committee or presented for public comment.

Sometimes a strike-all amendment simply cleans up grammar or typos. But other times, especially on huge packages like the transportation bill, growth management and affordable-housing package, the changes are significant. Yet because there's no time to read, lawmakers must trust the bill's sponsor to disclose any changes and their impacts.

At a minimum, political leaders should ensure members have time to read the legislation on which they're being asked to vote.

Bucher said one reason she asks so many questions is to stall long enough to get some idea of what's been changed or added. Who knows what may have been slipped in by a lawmaker, staff or lobbyist?
Lawmakers should follow the lead of Tampa Rep. Betty Reed, who in committee made clear she was voting against the transportation bill because she hadn't had time to read the strike-all amendment.

Bucher says she saw at least 20 versions of the growth-management package before it reached the House floor as a strike-all amendment - loaded with all sorts of changes. In the end, the rushed package died.

Strike-all amendments circumvent Florida's commitment to government in the sunshine. They are not fair to lawmakers or the public.

When the governor's Commission on Open Government makes its recommendations later next year, it should suggest the Legislature stop the abuse and overuse of strike-all amendments.

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