Day 19 -- With spring like temperatures outside, lawmakers began work this morning inside under the Gold Dome by passing legislation that saw little debate on the House floor.

However, first on the agenda was a motion to reconsider H.B. 543 which narrowly passed yesterday by a vote of 91 to 84. The bill would exempt people wanting to vote by absentee ballot from having to give one of six currently required reasons.

Proponents said that this measure could encourage more people to vote and opponents claimed that this would open up the voting process to fraud.

The motion to reconsider H.B. 543 failed to reach a constitutional majority by a vote of 77 to 83. It now moves to the Senate for consideration.

Some of the bills that passed today included a measure to make minor changes to the oath a witness has to take before he or she testifies in court; a bill allowing Capuchin monkeys to help handicapped persons; and legislation requiring the capital cost of commercial vehicles to be based on the vehicle's bill of sale.

Tomorrow the General Assembly will be in recess to conduct committee meetings.