“Wouldn’t this bill would help both the left and the right?” the Minority Leader asked.

           “Yes it does.  That was my intent,” I responded.

            My bill would prohibit force, deceit and intimidation by those gathering signatures to have a referendum on a bill passed by the General Assembly.  The same prohibitions would also apply to those opposed to having the issue decided by the voters.

            Delegate O’Donnell sits one row in front of me on the House floor.   So he was speaking to me, not the entire body. 

            We agreed that the right is more likely to be asking the electorate to reverse a law passed by a Democratic legislature.  I pointed out that my bill would take effect June 1, so that it would apply to petition gathering for the marriage equality bill. 

            No commitments were made, but the conversation should be helpful – for both the left and the right.

March 1