Pairs on the desk

Today's House vote on the Senate version of the severance tax bill (SB1) should be similar, although the vote in favor of the bill could increase by one. Rep. Lindsley Smith is out of the country and has paired her "yes" vote with Rep. Jon Woods' "no" vote. Woods was out of the chamber yesterday, so Lindsley's vote was not cast.

Rule 97 of the House Rules allows an absent member to vote by pairing his or her vote with a present member, if the members are (1) casting opposite votes (2) sign a statement in the presence of each other and witnessed by another member. I'll post any other pairs when the vote takes place shortly after 10:00 a.m. this morning. Our thoughts are with Rep. Nathan George, whose mother has passed away.