Near midnight last night, Sen. Jack Goodman, R-Mt. Vernon, pulled out a book on the Senate floor and started reading it to various lawmakers. A slowdown started by Goodman because of Speaker of the House Rod Jetton’s reticence to send over the village law repeak, Goodman’s SB765, was about to become a full-blown filibuster.

Ironically enough, Goodman was reading from a book called “The Cold War.” He told his fellow senators to expect “lengthy discussion” on any bills on Thursday. The Senate would soon adjourn for the night, and finally, several hours after the bill had passed the House, Jetton sent the village law over to the Senate.

Goodman said last night that he had spoken with Jetton yesterday after the village law passed the House and was disappointed that it took several hours for the bill to be sent to the Senate. “It’s an unusual thing to happen,” Goodman said. “I think there’s probably a message in the inaction.”

So today starts with a thaw. Goodman’s fiscal accountability committee passed out the priority illegal immigration legislation this morning. Soon, that bill will likely be on its way the House and the Senate will discuss the now complicated village law bill, which also has language that would make it next to impossible to create any sex-oriented businesses.

Meanwhile, when the Republican caucus met this morning, they invited Speaker Jetton to the meeting. Jetton was not in the tense afternoon discussion yesterday in which some members wanted him removed as speaker.