The possibility of a constitutional amendment being on the General Election ballot in 2006 ended about 12:30 p.m. today, when Senate Republicans concluded they did not have the 17 votes necessary to give the proposal first consideration approval. Assembly Republicans were scattered throughout the state and in Seattle, certain the Senate would not act.

Senate Majority Leader Panzer made the announcement at a news conference a few minutes after the Republican Caucus ended.

"We do not have the votes we need today," she said. "And, I don't believe the votes were in the Assembly either." She was referring indirectly to a letter Speaker Gard sent to her yesterday with a list of 51 signatures endorsing TABOR.

After several months of intensive, behind closed doors debate and negotiation, neither house could agree upon a version of the proposal to take to the other house. Neither chamber voted on the proposal in public.

Panzer said the Senate Republicans remain committed to a constitutional amendment and said SJR-1 and SB-1 were already reserved for the session that begins in January for the proposed constitutional amendment and legislation that would implement the proposal.

The earliest a constitutional amendment can now be placed on a statewide referendum is April 2007. A constitutional requires approval by two separate legislatures.

This was a huge victory for the SAA and the broad-based coalition of local government, education, university and social service groups that battled the pro-TABOR forces.