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Arkansas Senate plans to remain in session despite incoming severe weather; senators may request leave
Summary
Senate presiding officer urged members to stay for scheduled business tomorrow and Thursday while offering senatorial courtesy to those compelled to travel to their districts because of severe weather. Senators discussed extending that courtesy to committee proceedings and to members of the public.
The presiding officer of the Arkansas Senate told members the chamber plans to meet as scheduled tomorrow and Thursday but encouraged any senator who must return to their district because of severe weather to do so and to notify leadership.
The guidance reflected concern about a weather system the presiding officer described as “significant,” and included an assurance that legislation belonging to absent senators would be handled with “senatorial courtesy.” “If you are compelled to be in district for what's gonna happen in your district, for your home, for your business, then I would say absolutely do that. But we plan to be in session tomorrow,” the presiding officer said.
Senatorial courtesy, as described on the floor, means leadership will try not to move forward with measures that would unfairly disadvantage members who cannot attend because of weather. The presiding officer said he could not enumerate every scenario in advance but stressed the body would “treat members with senatorial courtesy that cannot be here due to weather.”
Senator Flowers asked whether that courtesy would apply not only on the chamber floor but also in committee meetings, noting the governor had declared an emergency and that some state offices may be closed. “I would ask that not only we have senatorial courtesy, but citizenry courtesy as well,” Flowers said, raising the prospect that members of the public could have trouble reaching committee hearings.
Senator Love asked whether the expectation was to run only noncontroversial bills while some members were absent. The presiding officer replied that the plan was to “proceed as business as usual” and reiterated that determinations about what constitutes a controversial item would be made case-by-case.
Members were asked to notify the secretary’s office if they planned to leave so clerk staff could record leaves and pairs and leadership could make scheduling decisions. The presiding officer closed the topic by repeating the request that senators inform staff if they would be absent and noting the Senate would adjourn subject to “clearing the desk” with a stated time for reconvening the next day.
Less-critical announcements and committee scheduling adjustments followed as senators prepared to finish the day’s business.
