And it all came crashing down. The need was so urgent. The promise so great. The hope so prevalent. The calling so persistent. But it all came crashing down.

The “it” of which I write is the second act of the 2016 Alabama Legislative Special Session drama. As I previously shared with you, the session had half crashed in the first act of this special session drama. In the Senate, Senate Bill 11, which provided for a lottery along with other kinds of gaming, failed miserably. A second lottery bill, Senate Bill 3, passed the Senate by the skin of its teeth — without a vote to spare. The House passed HB36 to create a bond issue to make $70 million available for Medicaid from BP Settlement funds. However, $85 million was needed. In a different scene of the drama, Senate Bill 3 went to the House for consideration. House Bill 36 came to the Senate for consideration in another scene. But it all came crashing down.

In the second act of this special session drama, the Senate took up House Bill 36. However, the vote was put off day after day. The votes simply were not there to pass the bill. There were at least four groups with varying positions. One group wanted a good chunk of the bond proceeds for roads in Baldwin and Mobile counties with a minimum going to Medicaid for matching federal money and most to pay debt. A second group wanted more than the $70 million for Medicaid with less going for roads in Baldwin and Mobile counties and help pay debt. A third group did not want anything to go to Baldwin or Mobile for roads with more for other things. A fourth group just wanted to stop everything. And there may have been other positions. And it all came crashing down.

The Senate put off a vote on House Bill 36 time and time again. There were meetings and more meetings. However, a consensus could not be reached. All sides seemed to be dug in. No one was compromising. Some of those I thought were supporters of House Bill 36 were now filibustering it. The situation went up and down and round and round.  And it all came crashing down.

The House took up Senate Bill 3, the lottery bill passed by the Senate. It was a scene filled with struggle and more struggle. The House debated amendment after amendment. Most were defeated. A few were adopted. Then the bill finally came up for a vote. Since it was a Constitutional Amendment, it needed 63 of 105 possible votes. It received 61 yes votes. It died a political death. It all came crashing down.

But the House was not yet done with Senate bill 3. The drama continued. Someone successfully moved to reconsider the bill, bringing it back from the dead. There was much wringing of hands. There was much twisting of arms. Some sought commitments from the governor. But it was really hard to secure additional votes. More arms were twisted.  More promises made. Finally, the House voted again. It was suspenseful to the very last vote. But proponents secured three additional votes. The bill had new life as it went back to the Senate. But it all came crashing down.

Both bills, House Bill 36 and Senate Bill 3, were now in the bosom of Alabama State Senate for what appeared to be the final act of this legislative drama. We carried over HB36 because senators were stuck in their positions. We recessed and met. We met and recessed. We took up SB3. Since the bill had passed the Senate with 21 votes, I assumed it would pass the Senate. However, some senators who voted for the bill to pass the Senate were now filibustering it. We recessed and met. We met and recessed. We tried but there was no resolution. And it all came crashing down.

Finally, things began to move. The motions for Senate consideration were two deep: (1) to concur with the changes made in the House; and (2) a substitute motion to non-concur with the House changes. All of a sudden, the motion to non-concur was tabled by a quick voice vote. I thought a new substitute motion to non-concur and appoint a conference committee was forthcoming. However, a vote on the motion to concur commenced immediately. I was caught off guard. I did not know what to make of it. Then I observed that most senators were voting against the motion to concur. There were 24 no votes with only 7 yes votes. A senator moved to reconsider the vote and lay that motion on the table. The motion was adopted by a voice vote. This lottery bill, Senate Bill 3, was officially dead. It all came crashing down.

Act three of this drama is now looming. The Senate and House both agreed to return Tuesday, September 6.

We are all hoping that our recessing for 10 days will allow us to pass the BP Settlement Bond Bill to provide short term matching monies for Medicaid. We will see. Hopefully, the final act of this Special Session Drama will provide a happy conclusion. I pray that the final hope of this special session does not come crashing down.

Everything that comes crashing down is not bad. Everything that refrains from crashing down is good. However, when we come crashing down, the critical thing is for us to get back up, pull things together and keep on moving forward.