Yesterday, a bipartisan group of legislators introduced a number of reforms that would be a strong first step in fixing how Harrisburg governs. No more 2AM passage of bills (a tactic made infamous in the payraise, but, certainly used far and wide elsewhere). No more keeping records secret. And no more bottling up bills that leadership doesn't like:

Among other things, the group of Republican and Democratic House members from every corner of the state wants the legislature to live by the same information disclosure rules as other public agencies.

They are now exempt from the state's Open Records law, which requires borough councils to order authorities to disclose upon request government-related documents within 10 days.

As a result, reporters and members of the public are restricted in what House- and Senate-related documents they can review.

...

Additionally, if the group gets its way, there would be no more late-night sessions: No votes would be allowed between midnight and 8 a.m. The legislature was vilified last year for passing the pay raise at 2 a.m. July 7, without debate, as its final official act before breaking for a two-month summer recess.

Each legislator, under the package, would get to pick one bill they sponsored per session that would be guaranteed at least a committee vote. Lawmakers have long groused that, unless they are in leadership posts, compelling a vote on many pieces of legislation is difficult at best.

I think this is a good start. I especially like the last one. Too many good bills get bottled up because people like Perzel and O'Brien decide they shouldn't get a vote.

more below...

As for the middle of the night thing, I think a much better, stronger idea than elminating bills passed in the middle of the night is to have a 48 hour hold on every piece of legislation up for a vote. Except symbollically, I don't care if a bill gets passed in the middle of the night. What I really care about is that legialtors are passing terrible bills, with ammendments quickly written into them, before the public or non-lobbyists have a chance to look at it. Case in point- the Leave no Billboard Behind Act, where John Perzel wrote a provision in a small section of law into a bill about illegal dumping that basically targeted SCRUB, the philly anti-billboard group. In fact, SCRUB supporters, not seeing what was in there, ending up voting for the bill.

To me, if legislators want to stay up real late, more power to them. But, again, we should have a few days to see what bills are up for a vote.