Legislators' votes can be tricky to obtain

PAT LITOWITZ
plitowitz@ncnewsonline.com

The New Castle News asked Lawrence County's legislators in Harrisburg to produce their voting records from January 2005 to present. The request was simple enough.

However, aides to the five lawmakers- state Rep. Chris Sainato, state Rep. Frank LaGrotta, state Rep. Rod Wilt, state Sen. Bob Robbins and state Sen. Gerald LaValle - had similar puzzled reactions.

"You want what?"

Four of the five legislators contacted provided the records sought in some form, either through e-mail, mailed reports or a handwritten list faxed to The News.

An aide forRobbins advised The News it would cost $20.30 for the information.

The exercise provides insight into the manner in which lawmakers themselves must obtain vote data.

Among their duties, lawmakers' staffs respond to constituent requests for voting records - an infrequent situation.

"It is rare that they actually ask for a roll-call vote on a matter," said Nathan Silcox, Robbins' legislative director.

Tony Rigano, chief of staff for LaValle, echoed that view.

"We may get three or four calls per day when it's slow," he said. "Twenty, thirty calls on something of interest."

Someone seeking voting records must be specific in what they want. Legislators cast votes while in committee; for bills, resolutions and amendments; and during master roll call, procedural matters and executive nominations.

The number of yeas and nays cast in a legislative session is considerable.

Pennsylvania lawmakers have access to a private network or intranet. Commonly referred to as the LDPC, the site shares legislative data with members, staff and agencies of the state's General Assembly.

"Basically, it's a tool we use everyday to help us," Rigano said. "It's been an invaluable service."

Information appearing on the LDPC is approved by the House and Senate through the House Bipartisan Management Committee and Senate Committee on Management Operations.
Bills and amendments are featured on the site. House members votes are available, while Senate votes are not.

"It's more of an inconvenience than anything," observed state Rep. Lynn Herman (R-Centre County), who chairs the Legislative Data Processing Committee.

"That information can easily be obtained. Pick up the telephone and call. Or march your (expletive) over (to the Senate) and get it."

The public, though, cannot access the LDPC. To obtain official roll-call votes, a person must contact the roll-call clerk in the House or Senate.

A third option is to visit a county library that receives the Legislative Journal, which documents the daily activities of the General Assembly. There's no guarantee, though, the library will have current information.

For example, at Lawrence County's law library the last issues of the journal were received on June 27.

The law library is the only county facility to possess copies of the journal.

An overwhelming majority of states address the issue of access by placing legislator votes on the Internet. Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Mississippi and New Mexico are the only states that do not.

"I would be absolutely in favor of it," LaGrotta noted. "It would make my life easier. I think it is just a matter of common sense."

Copyright (c) 2005, New Castle News