A contested vote to overturn a Gov. Doyle veto ostensibly passed the assembly Tuesday, but Democrats disputed its passage and criticized assembly leaders for utilizing a \quick vote"" to prevent one Democratic representative from voting.
State Rep. Pedro Colon, D-Milwaukee, said he was out of his seat during the voting, but normal assembly procedures in which the Assembly Speaker calls for votes was not followed.
Another point of contention between the two parties hinges on whether 64 votes constitute a two-thirds majority of the assembly. The state constitution states that to overturn a veto, ""two-thirds of the members present,"" must vote for the bill.
If Colon is counted as present, the total number of representatives would be 97 and 65 would be needed for an override.
Many Republican representatives felt the override, which would restore money to state nursing homes, passed.
""Despite a voting debacle on the Democratic side of the aisle, I am glad a two-thirds majority of my colleagues in the assembly overrode Gov. Doyle's disastrous attempt to drain Medicaid funding out of nursing homes,"" said Rep. Debi Towns, R-Janesville.
According to Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison, the voting was only open for about 15 to 20 seconds instead of the usual 30 to 40. He related that Colon was in the back of the assembly chamber speaking to two Republican representatives during the vote and did not vote before the roll was closed.
""Recording votes by elected representatives isn't a speed test, it's not an Olympic sprint,"" Black said. He added that in his 20 years in the assembly, he had ""never seen anything like it.""
Assembly Republicans dismissed Democrats' claims and concentrated on celebrating what they called the first overturn of a governor's veto in almost 20 years.
""I don't care how the successful vote happened,"" Towns said. ""What's vitally important is that we provide a modest increase in funding and keep nursing homes across the state out of serious fiscal jeopardy.""
Assuming the bill has passed the assembly, it will move to the Senate where it will need a three-fourths majority.
