Flood's House size bill dies

 Last night, the House did not agree with the Senate that a modified version of Rep. Pat Flood’s bill to reduce the size of the House should go to voters.

 The bill, which had previously failed to get the two-thirds necessary for passage, got a new life when the Senate amended it yet again. The Senate amendment would have asked voters if they wanted to give the Legislative Apportionment Commission the power to reduce the size of the House from 151 members to 141 or 131.

 Actually, the question also would have included the option to leave the House the size it is today.

 Flood, a Winthrop Republican, has said repeatedly that he wanted to show the public that the Legislature was willing to sacrifice in difficult times, just as state agencies and those receiving government services have sacrificed.

 But the motion to agree with the Senate amendment failed in the House 91-55. If you want to see the roll call, you can check here: http://janus.state.me.us/legis/LawMakerWeb/rollcalls.asp?ID=280030555