Incredibly, Sal DiMasi, the Speaker of the Mass. House of Representatives, found his you-know-whats yesterday and urged the House to reinstate the provisions previously removed from Melanie’s Law by Rep. Eugene O’Flaherty’s conference committee.
O’Flaherty and four other members of the 6-person conference committee make good livings as defense attorneys for DUI clients, a fact which outraged the public and resulted in the reversal.
The Senate also approved the changes, and Mitt Romney is expected to sign the bill next week.
Adding insult to injury, O’Flaherty and some of his cronies left for vacation after gutting the bill, but before the legislature adjourned. According to the Boston Globe, O’Flaherty returned from vacation early for the latest vote, which passed 137-2 in the House and unanimously in the Senate.
The bill is not perfect by any means – for example, a provision to suspend the driving license of a DUI suspect who refuses to take a breathalyzer test was removed.
Still, it’s a step in the right direction, and at least this time, the public was able to stick it to legislators who act more like small town Chamber of Commerce board members than responsible public servants.
So, we might as well savor this victory, it’ll be a while before there’s another.