Senate suspends rules to refer petitions including 'Joan v. Lovely' to committees

The committee on rules reported that several Senate petitions had been read and recommended suspension of Joint Rule 12 for consideration of those petitions, including a matter recorded as "Joan v Lovely." The clerk presented the committee report and recommended suspension with reference to the petitions. Senator Charles moved to suspend Rule 36 to allow the matters to be considered forthwith; the chair announced that Rule 36 was suspended without objection. The Senate then voted on suspension of Joint Rule 12; the chair called for ayes and nays and announced that the ayes had it. The transcript records that the matters will be referred to their several committees for further consideration. The transcript does not include debate on the substance of the petitions, the content of the matter labeled "Joan v Lovely," or which specific committees will receive each petition. No additional procedural or substantive details about the petitions' merits were recorded in the excerpt. The Senate recessed briefly while awaiting documents and to permit the referral process to proceed.