Acting reps cite conflicts, skip votes

Under House Rule 38, members of the House who are present in the chamber when the roll is called must vote, unless they are excused by a majority vote of the House. The rule does, however, require members to disclose when they have a personal interest in the issue under consideration that conflicts with the public’s interest; after making that disclosure, the member can still vote, or can request to be excused from voting. Disclosures of conflicts of interest under Rule 38 in the House have become fairly commonplace, but the members almost always then choose to vote on the bills. Today has seen departures from that. Acting Rep. Gayle Batt, R-Wilder, disclosed conflicts on both the state agriculture department budget bill and the Fish & Game budget bill and declined to vote on either, and acting Rep. Cameron Wheeler, a state Fish & Game commissioner, made the same move on the Fish & Game budget.