By David Beard, The Dominion Post
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The final chaotic minutes in the state Senate Saturday night saw stumbles, miscommunication, two controversial bills passed in a rush and one – the Anti-Racism Act – apparently pass only to learn it hadn’t.
At 11:52 p.m., the Senate took up SB 468, the Unborn Child with Down Syndrome Act. The House amended and passed it 81-17 at 3:51 p.m. Senate Majority Leader Tom Takubo, R-Kanawha, moved that the Senate concur in the amendments and described them.
Confusion began when Finance chair Eric Tarr, R-Putnam, called the question (to end debate and vote) after the vote already occurred. Sen. Mike Caputo, D-Marion, asked what was going on because they didn’t vote on Tarr’s motion.
Presdient Craig Blair, R-Berkeley, told him, “I’m trying to push through these bills for you guys. … We’re burning the clock. We’re voting on the bill.” And they voted again at 11:55. It passed 27-5 and heads to the governor…
