Several Republican leaders have been fighting for the non-severability clause to be kept in the bill, which would overturn the entire measure if a part of it is found unconstitutional. Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch (R-West Salem) says he believed it was needed to protect the integrity of the proposal. The Speaker cited concerns that groups opposed to parts of the bill could try to use the courts to remove those provisions after it was signed in to law. However, Huebsch says he realized that controversy over the provision was threatening to keep the bill from moving forward, so it needed to go.
Senate Majority Leader Judy Robson (D-Beloit) says lawmakers worked together to address the concerns raised in public hearings. She believes leadership has removed a provision that could have been a "poison pill" for the legislation.
The legislature's Joint Finance Committee will vote on a final version of the bill on Tuesday. The Assembly and the Senate could cast votes on it that same day.
