The resolution was meant to update an older procedural rule that said the vote on any bill could not be halted if a paper bill was not available, a sponsor of the bill told The Dominion Post Wednesday. It sought to apply that to electronic versions of the bill as well.
These days, delegates rely on the laptops atop each of their desks to view bills before votes. In the past, paper versions were the norm. House Minority Leader Charles Trump, R-Morgan and Delegate Cindy Frich, R-Monongalia, openly opposed the resolution.
Frich said Wednesday she was concerned the change to voting procedure would mean that it was possible delegates would have to vote on bills they had not yet seen.
"Thank goodness," Frich said Thursday regarding it being tabled. "I'm glad that it won't be a new rule — yet. It can still come up again."
Tabling a bill means that bill is not scheduled to be reviewed and voted on by the full House of Delegates.
House Majority Leader Rick Staton, DWyoming, a sponsor of the resolution, and member of the House Rules Committee, could not be reached for comment Thursday.