For 132 years, a rule has existed in the Washington State Legislature's House of Representatives requiring a supermajority to suspend debate on a bill that has come to the floor. Last week, House legislators voted 54-33 to alter that rule, so that now only a majority is required to end debate. Currently, the House is composed of 59 Democrats and 39 Republicans.

“We're setting ourselves up on a dangerous path,” Rep. Chris Corry, R-Yakima, told legislators during House floor debate on Friday regarding a resolution adopting House rules for the session. Speaking in favor of an amendment to restore the supermajority requirement to end debate, he said “this underlying House rules is going to take away our ability or take away the ability of the minority party to have a robust discussion ... and that's very concerning.”

“We've had those good debates in the past and we've discussed the repercussions of potentially making this change,” he added. “The fear is what we're adopting in here is a rule that can be used to silence the minority party.”