Members of the Assembly Minority Conference today rebuked Assembly Majority members for voting down additional changes to the rules of the Assembly that would have further opened up the operations of the House and provided a more even playing field between Majority and Minority members.

"Two weeks ago, Assembly Minority members and Assembly Majority members worked together to come to agreement on a series of rules changes that were important first steps toward changing the way the Assembly does business," said Assembly Minority Leader Charles H. Nesbitt (R,C,I-Albion). "At that time, both sides of the aisle said that more must be done. I am disappointed that the bipartisan spirit that helped us come to that agreement was not in evidence today as this important resolution was soundly defeated along party lines."

Among the changes sought today by Assembly Minority members and dismissed by the Assembly Majority are those to:

• Require that when a motion to hold a bill fails in committee, there will immediately be a motion to report the bill;

• Require that committee membership ratios reflect the ratio of Majority to Minority membership in the House;

• Require that bills with Home Rule requests from local municipalities be considered in committee at the first meeting that is held after the bill has been in committee for three days;

• Create a Member's Prerogative, which would allow each Member of the Assembly to bring at least one bill of statewide implication to the floor for a vote during each legislative term;

• Require a super-majority (2/3) vote for final passage of any bill that imposes, continues or revives a new tax;

• Require that any bill on the calendar that imposes a mandate on localities or school districts, as well as any bill that would require additional taxes, be specifically labeled or identified as such on the calendar, and

• Allow the Ranking Minority Member on each committee to call a public hearing of the committee.