Solid proposals on Senate rules

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to change some outdated rules that

block the will of the majority.

Some of the best news out of Columbia in recent days is that state Senate Republicans have agreed to substantive changes in the antiquated rules that have been used to block real debate and stall good legislation. Changing the Senate's rules is absolutely critical to moving South Carolina's government into the 21st century.

Gov. Mark Sanford has seen much of his agenda die on the vine in the Senate. He has identified Senate rules changes as one of his most important goals for the upcoming legislative year.

The Senate votes on its rules when it returns to Columbia in early January. At that time it only takes 24 senators to change the rules. Republicans hold a 26-20 majority in the Senate, and state Sen. Larry Martin, R-Pickens, said most of them support the proposed changes in the rules. He is hoping some Democrats will support the changes, too.

A single senator is able to stop legislation in the Senate. Sanford has said that 39 bills were blocked last session by a single senator, and 13 of those bills were held up for more than a year. Only three bills were left on the table in the House when the legislative session ended in June, while 99 bills were pending in the Senate.

Martin, who chairs the Senate Rules Committee, said senators have heard "loud and clear from constituents" who wanted to know "why can't you get something done" with a Republican governor and Republicans controlling the House and Senate. Those senators will return to Columbia fully aware that their constituents want the Legislature to stop playing silly games designed to keep anything from happening.

The proposed changes cited by Martin include:

Ending the "practice, not rule" of allowing one senator to indefinitely block debate. This courtesy allowed a senator to state he wanted to be present when a bill was discussed, but then the senator would just step into the hall every time the bill came up. The proposal makes it easier for the Senate to take action after six legislative days when a single member objects to a bill.

Making it easier to end a filibuster. Now it takes 28 senators to end a filibuster regardless of the number in the chamber. The proposal allows 60 percent of the members present in the chamber to end a filibuster. So if only 40 of the 46 members were present, 24 could vote to end a filibuster.

Moving House legislation to the end of the day. Senate rules had required the body to deal first with House bills, and this kept senators from discussing other matters.

Defining "germaneness" in a more narrow way so senators can't load up bills with unrelated amendments that couldn't win legislative approval on their own merits.

All of these are good proposals that should speed up how business is done in the Senate. They should be approved and implemented in a manner faithful to the desire of state residents to see reform in this body that has often blocked good government in this state.