For the 2023 Session, I will be reinstating many of the normal procedures to the Norris Legislative Chamber although some restrictions/modifications will remain.

Staff

No specific restrictions will be placed on staff permitted on the floor, other than the general stipulation that the Norris Legislative Chamber is a working environment and certain conditions dictate when staff are or are not permitted in the Chamber. Staff are permitted on the floor when their presence supports a specific need of their senator. Examples of specific needs include the distribution of physical information or picking up and dropping off personal belongings. Staff permitted under these circumstances are not to remain in the Chamber and should leave after the immediate need has passed.
Additionally, staff assisting their senator during a specific debate with note taking, drafting amendments, providing research etc. falls within the definition of providing support and indicates a legitimate reason for their presence on the floor.
Staff loitering or utilizing the chamber as a personal work station is prohibited. Staff wishing to observe the floor debate without providing support to their senator are asked to watch the floor debate on their television or computer from their office. Senators whose staff abuse these guidelines will be asked to direct their staff to leave the floor.

Media Access

Credentialed media will be allowed on the floor as space permits.

Balcony Usage

The north and south balconies will be open for visitors. The ADA Accommodation for visitors who are physically unable to utilize seating in the balcony will be the provision of an unobstructed view behind the glass walls in the gallery at the back of the Chamber. Please direct these visitors to the Sergeant at Arms seated at the rotunda desk.

The east balcony will continue to be reserved for members who are ill and would like to participate in debate. A microphone will allow these members to engage in debate and a method for voting will be established.

Visitors to the Chamber

The roped off seating area under the north and south balconies will be reopened for members to invite guests, with the permission of the chair, pursuant to Rule 2, Sec. 3. Guests with a direct interest in the matter being discussed are not allowed on the floor. Guest floor seating is intended for occasional visits.

Access to the Chamber

There will be two entrances open to the Chamber. The glass doors off of the rotunda and the southwest door outside of the speaker’s office.
The senator’s lounge will be closed for the entirety of the session, however, a path will be open to access the men’s restroom for senators located within the senators’ lounge. Additionally, the women’s restroom for senators accessed through the cloak room will be open.

Delivery of Notes

The delivery of notes from the rotunda by the Sergeants at Arms will continue.

Doctor of the Day

The Doctor of the Day Program will continue normal operations.The Doctor of the Day office has been relocated to a new room on the north side of the cloak room next to the water fountain.

Prayer

The Chaplain of the Day program will resume normal operations with scheduling via the Chaplain Request form on the Uninet. See the “Legislative Staff” heading under “Applications.”

Technology Issues

Legislative Technology staff will be sitting on the floor each day and will provide assistance to senators as needed.

Coffee, Tea, Water and Sponsored Food

Pages will continue getting coffee, tea, and water for members.

Food sponsored by groups or senators can be distributed to members of the Legislature in the Chamber.

Senator Announcements and Use of Personal Privilege

I will continue the practice of Speaker Hilgers’ to accommodate the “good news” announcements (births, birthdays, anniversaries, and community accomplishments), by again incorporating into our daily schedule up to six minutes of announcements each morning following any “Messages, Reports, and Announcements” by the Clerk. Each announcement will be limited to one-to-two minutes dependent upon the number of announcement requests for that day. For inclusion on the personal announcement schedule, please remember to provide notification to Laurie Weber in my office by 5:00 p.m. the day prior. Please note, I reserve the right to postpone any scheduled announcements to another day in order to accommodate pressing business before the body or to accommodate the day’s schedule.

Additionally, I want to remind you that I will be following the same policy as last year of restricting the use of the Point of Personal Privilege motion to the purposes outlined in our rules (Rule 2, Sec 11). Please know that I will be ruling all instances of personal privilege out of order unless the member wishes to address the “rights, dignity, and integrity of the Legislature collectively” or the “rights, reputation, and conduct of members individually.” I ask that members approach me before using a point of personal privilege to discuss whether it would be held in order by the presiding officer.

Legislative Resolutions

And finally, I want to provide notice about how I will be handling certain Legislative Resolutions. Legislative Resolutions that are not congratulatory or ceremonial in nature, nor are Constitutional Amendments, but would establish a policy position of the Legislature and are controversial in nature, will neither be referred to a committee for a public hearing nor scheduled for debate.

I believe the primary work of the Legislature is to pass legislation. As perhaps the only state that requires a public hearing on all bills, other than Revisor bills, our committees have a large workload without adding to their duties. Additionally, floor time is precious and during some years not enough time exists for all priority bills to be debated by the full Legislature. Therefore, I do not intend to add to our workload with the consideration of Legislative Resolutions which are divisive.