“Did you have to ask me that?”

I had asked my Democratic colleague, “Will you vote against the two death penalty bills in our committee?”

“I’m not taking anybody’s vote for granted,” I replied.

We will send a strong message if every committee member who opposes capital punishment votes against legislation that would expand the death penalty.

Shortly before this conversation took place on the House floor, I had a chance conversation with a lobbyist who asked me about my bill dealing with education requirements for funeral directors.

The bill had sailed through the House, without any opposition. It will have a public hearing in the Senate next week.

“I’ll check with someone who alerted me to a problem on a similar bill several years ago,” I replied. “I won’t take it for granted that the bill will pass.”