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The flames have been officially fanned in the Alabama Senate.

Members of the Democratic majority passed a resolution Tuesday to discourage senators from punching each other out on the Senate floor.

While it might seem like senators would be on their Ps and Qs after the embarassing dust up between Sen. Charles Bishop, R-Jasper, and Sen. Lowell Barron, D-Fyffe, Sen. Hank Sanders, D-Selma, wanted a little more security--from himself.

As he said after the resolution was passed, "I'm not sure I could have refrained from hitting back if he had hit me."

Mind you this resolution is not about punishing Bishop. It's about clamping down the potential Bishops that apparently lurks inside every State Senator.

Now, brawling senators will have a security escort whenever they're in the Senate chamber, and the Senate can vote to apply the resolution retroactively to Bishop.

The security detail could be lifted if a senator successfully completes anger management classes.

Bishop, of course, is taking it personal.

In an Oscar-worthy perfomance he declared on the Senate floor that Sanders drew up the resolution in retaliation against him for not supporting Sanders' slavery bill last session.

Then he stalked out of the room, saying he wouldn't return until he'd sought the advice of his lawyer. So he'll be back next Tuesday.

Republicans say the Dems are once again changing the rules.

If you will recall squabbling over the rules is what caused the shutdown in the Senate last year.

Senate rules allow for the Ethics and Conduct Committee to deal with senators behaving badly, Republicans say.

That committee was responsible for handling the complaint against Bishop, but only its members know whether Bishop was punished or not.

Will the drama ever end? Probably not. Stay tuned friends.