SSTA - 2/22/96 SCR 22 UNIFORM RULES/HOURS OF DAILY SESSION SENATOR SHARP brought up SCR 22 as the next order of business before the Senate State Affairs Committee and called Senator Donley to testify. Number 360 SENATOR DONLEY, prime sponsor of SCR 22, relayed information contained in the sponsor's statement. SCR 22 specifies that the legislature will not conduct business on the floor past 9:00 p.m., nor would it do so before 8:00 a.m. Senator Donley does not feel it is in the public's interest for the legislature to work into the wee hours. The only concern he's heard raised regarding SCR 22 is that it may be necessary to close off the session at some time. He acknowledges that, and wouldn't mind a conceptual amendment exempting the last several days of session. He would like feedback from committee members regarding what an appropriate time span would be. He is open to suggestions. SENATOR LEMAN commented he especially likes the morning limitation. SENATOR RANDY PHILLIPS asked if this wouldn't require a 2/3 vote. SENATOR DONLEY responded that a concurrent resolution that amends the uniform rules requires 2/3 of each body. SENATOR RANDY PHILLIPS added that if both houses meet as a joint body, then it is a simple majority: 31 votes. SENATOR DONLEY doesn't know if that's ever been done. SENATOR RANDY PHILLIPS replied that was done in 1981. He stated he would be interested in removing the time limitations during the last five days of session. He thinks that would be a reasonable amount of time. Number 390 CHAIRMAN SHARP asked how that would be addressed in the resolution. SENATOR DONLEY replied that the language could simply specify, "prior to the 115th day of the session...". SENATOR RANDY PHILLIPS asked other committee members if they think five days is a workable amount of time not to have the rule. SENATOR LEMAN replied he is not sure it would even be needed then, other than perhaps the last day of session. CHAIRMAN SHARP commented that sometimes the delay action works pretty good on caucuses and so forth. You can waste a lot of time up to 9:00 p.m. when the last days' crunch comes. He thinks there needs to be more leeway than one or two days. SENATOR DONLEY stated he would like to see a consensus, because he would like to see SCR 22 pass. He thinks any limitation is a good step forward. Five days is a good step forward from where we are now. Sometimes we go into two or three weeks of late-night meetings. Frankly, it's debilitating on your health. CHAIRMAN SHARP noted that last year, we got into some late-night floor sessions only halfway through. SENATOR DONLEY thinks there is very little you could do at 9:00 p.m. that you couldn't come back and do at 8:00 a.m. the next day. Number 415 CHAIRMAN SHARP stated the committee is looking at a conceptual amendment on line 13. "Prior to the 115th day of a regular session a house shall adjourn." SENATOR LEMAN stated that "prior to the 115th day" would give them six days. If you want five days, it would be "prior to the 116th day". CHAIRMAN SHARP replied, ok, 116th day. [There being no further comment on the amendment, it seems to be general consensus that it was adopted, though there was no motion.] [The actual language in the Senate State Affairs committee substitute is, "This subsection does not apply during a regular session after the one hundred and fifteenth day of that session." So the last six days of a regular session are exempt from that subsection.] SENATOR LEMAN asked if they wanted any limitation put on the final days. CHAIRMAN SHARP said, "Just let 'er roll." SENATOR RANDY PHILLIPS asked what do you do during daylight savings time. SENATOR DONLEY replied that happens at 2:00 a.m. in the morning, so it won't affect SCR 22. SENATOR LEMAN asked if five minutes is enough of a warning. SENATOR DONLEY thinks that's enough time. Number 435 SENATOR RANDY PHILLIPS suggested giving a ten-minute warning, since that's the same amount of warning we have before session. SENATOR DONLEY replied that's fine with him. CHAIRMAN SHARP noted there was a conceptual amendment on line 15 to change 8:55 p.m. to 8:50 p.m. [There is no comment on the amendment. There seems to be general consensus that it was adopted, though there was no motion.] CHAIRMAN SHARP asked if there were any other comments or proposed amendments. SENATOR RANDY PHILLIPS asked if State Affairs was the only committee of referral. SENATOR DONLEY thinks so. He thinks having the last five days unrestricted should alleviate a lot of concerns regarding flexibility at the end of session. CHAIRMAN SHARP asked the pleasure of the committee. Number 450 SENATOR DONLEY made a motion to discharge SCR 22 from committee with individual recommendations. CHAIRMAN SHARP, hearing no objection, stated SCR 22 was released from the Senate State Affairs Committee with individual recommendations.