It turns out that Democrats won't be able to bring HCR 42 back for reconsideration in the House, because the speaker ruled that under House Rule 40, though serving notice to reconsider normally would mean reconsideration could be taken up the next legislative day, if it's after the 35th day of the legislative session any motion to reconsider has to come up the same day as the bill's original consideration. "I was hoping we could get a different interpretation, but that was not to happen," said House Minority Leader John Rusche, D-Lewiston. "We were hoping to be able to get some information from the PERSI board that perhaps may have changed the opinion of some people." Rusche said he won't challenge Speaker Lawerence Denney's interpretation of the rule. "I didn't read it that way at first, but I could see how he could, and that's his job to make the interpretation."

That means that House Democrats' attempt to delay the bill through a parliamentary maneuver has failed, and it's on its way to the Senate. The bill has to pass both houses by next Wednesday to take effect and block a scheduled 1 percent cost of living increase for state retirees next month.

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