Michigan Senate records quorum, suspends rules to allow guests and photos and recesses for Memorial Day ceremony

The Michigan Senate recorded a quorum, excused several members and approved suspensions of two floor rules to allow guests and photographs before recessing for the chamber's 30th annual Memorial Day ceremony, the presiding officer announced.

The action matters because the suspensions temporarily changed floor access rules during a ceremonial session and the chamber formally recessed and adjourned with scheduling set for the next legislative day.

The secretary announced, "Mister president, there are 31 members present. There is a quorum." Minority Floor Leader Senator Lowers moved "that senators McBroom, Altman, Hoytinger, and Runstead or Bumstead be excused from today's session." The presiding officer responded, "Without objection, so ordered."

Senator Singh, the majority floor leader, moved to excuse two additional members, saying, "Mister president, I move that senators Geiss and Voigt will be excused from today's session." He then moved to suspend Senate Rule 3.902 "to allow all guests of all the senators on the senate floor including the center aisle" and to suspend Senate Rule 3.901 to "allow for photographs to be taken on the senate floor including, the center aisle." Each motion was approved by the presiding officer with "Without objection, so ordered."

Senator Singh also moved "that the senate stand at recess for the Senate's Memorial Day ceremony," and the presiding officer ordered the recess "at the call of the chair." After the ceremony, Senate business resumed and Floor Leader Singh moved that "the senate do now adjourn." With no objection, the presiding officer said the chamber would adjourn and "stand adjourn until Thursday, May 29 at 10AM." The senate then adjourned.

These were formal, procedural actions recorded on the floor; no roll-call votes or amendments on policy items were taken during the sequence of motions described above.