and a House of 105 until we had discussed
each and every section and each and every
amendment to each and every section of
Committee Report LB-I. At that time we
would then vote on the adoption of all of
those sections as amended. Now, in this
case, in the case particularly of section
3.04, where we are talking about the num-
bers in the Senate and the House, it forces
us to entertain a number of motions, of
amendments with varying numbers, with-
out ever being able to have before us the
specific question which the Committee
brought to this body, that is, the Senate
of 35 and a House of 105.
I would have offered that as an amend-
ment to Delegate Sherbow's amendment if
I could, but I am advised that under the
rules of procedure that would, in effect, be
an amendment which addressed itself to the
main question and which would be equiva-
lent to a rejection of Delegate Sherbow's
amendment. So we have offered the nearest
number to it, 36 and 108, in effect and for
all practical purposes, and for every pur-
pose the recommendation of the Committee
on the Legislative Branch.
I would not dare, and certainly do not
think 1 need to repeat, all of the debate
in which we were all involved for so many
hours yesterday. It was all said and said
ably by the Chairman of the Committee and
said by many, more than once in response,
or inopposition to every amendment which
was offered to the committee's report.
We do not come without support from
members of the General Assembly.
The Chairman yesterday read the names
of those members of the General Assembly
who testified before the committee and who
stated that they found from their experi-
ence that the General Assembly would be
a better body, a more deliberate body, a
more responsive body if its numbers were
reduced from the present 142 and 43.
I hope that you will give the credence
that it deserves to the recommendation of
the Legislative Branch Committee.
It is difficult on the floor of this com-
mittes to repeat all of the testimony, all
of the deliberations, the considerations
which were considered by the committee,
but 1 assure you that not one thing has
yet been said on the floor of this Commit-
tee which was not said before the Com-
mittee of the Legislative Branch and which
was not discussed fully and dispassion-
ately and reasonably by the members of
that committee. |
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Bamberger,
you have a little less than a minute.
DELEGATE BAMBERGER: We spe-
cifically considered the proposal which is
made by Delegate Sherbow, a Senate of
40 and a House of 120, and for all the
reasons which have been said, said more
than once, this Committee by an over-
whelming majority rejected that and settled
upon the recommendation of 35 and 105.
I urge you to support the Committee. 1
urge you not only for that reason but for
all of the intelligen't arguments which 1
think have been made in support of our
recommendation to vote for this amend-
ment, to have a Senate of 36 members and
a House of 108.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Malkus?
DELEGATE MALKUS: Will the gentle-
man yield?
DELEGATE BAMBERGER: Yes, in-
deed.
DELEGATE MALKUS: What is the
average under your proposal for the House
of Delegates and the Senate?
DELEGATE BAMBERGER: The aver-
age what, Senator?
DELEGATE MALKUS: The average
amount under your proposal.
DELEGATE BAMBERGER: You mean
the number of constituents who would be
in the district? I will yield to the Chair-
man, who has the Committee's files with
all that information.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Gallagher.
DELEGATE GALLAGHER: Senator
Malkus, on the basis of 35-105—
DELEGATE MALKUS: I am talking
about the 36.
DELEGATE GALLAGHER: There is a
few thousand variation.
The figure was, I believe, 37,700 for each
delegate and approximately 115,000 for
each senator, so you would reduce it
slightly.
I can calculate it by dividing it into the
projected population in 1970, but it would
be about that.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Malkus?
DELEGATE MALKUS: Mr. President,
I certainly knew what the old formula
would be. I do not have that memorized, |
