Evan Smith on Politics: Efforts to make two-thirds rule part of constitution will get nowhere

By Evan Smith

We recently reported that a State Senate Committee has approved a resolution that would make the requirement of a two-thirds vote of the legislature part of the State constitution.

It’s a reaction to last week’s State Supreme Court decision that ruled that a voter-approved two-thirds requirement is unconstitutional.

It’s a futile effort.

For a Senate joint resolution (or House joint resolution) to amend the State constitution it needs a two-thirds vote of both houses of the legislature and a majority vote in a statewide election.

That means 33 votes in the 49-member Senate and 66 votes in the 98-member House of Representatives to send it to the November ballot,

The resolution passed the Republican-controled Ways and Means Committee by a 13-10 vote. It may get a majority in the Senate, which is controled by a coalition of 23 Republicans and two conservative Democrats, but, even if one or two other conservative “road kill” Democrats join them, minority liberal Democrats have enough votes to prevent a two-thirds majority, and House majority liberal Democrats will either vote it down overwhelmingly or not let it come to a vote. So, there are no chances of its appearing as a proposed constitutional amendment on the November ballot.