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Senate approves first reading of bills 704–1209; recesses to meet House for governor—s address
Summary
The Senate approved first reading of a set of bills by title and referred them to committee, noted a roll-call attendance change, and recessed to meet the House in joint session to receive the governor—s State of the State address. Announcements set the Senate to reconvene Thursday, Jan. 23 at 9 a.m.
The Senate approved first reading of Senate bills described on the floor as "7 0 4 to 12 o 9," referring the measures to committee, then recessed to meet the House in joint session for the governor—s State of the State address.
The action advances a large group of bills to committee consideration without individual debate on the floor. Senator Wakai introduced a visiting guest, moved the first-reading motion, and later moved that the Senate recess until 10 a.m. to meet with the House. The motion to read the bills by title and refer them to committee was seconded and carried without objection.
At the start of the session the clerk took roll call; the clerk and presiding officers reported 19 senators present and 6 excused. Later in the session the clerk was asked to note Senator Aquino as present.
During introductions, Senator Wakai introduced Glenn Hunter, described in the chamber as a special assistant to the governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), and said Hunter had attended via teleconference. "Just yesterday, I believe signed a deal with Google to do a Google fiber drop into the Northern Marianas," Senator Wakai said in welcoming Hunter to the capitol.
On the floor, Senator Wakai stated: "I move that senate bills number 7 0 4 to 12 o 9 pass first reading by title and be referred to committee." The motion was seconded on the floor (recorded as seconded by the presiding officer) and carried with no recorded roll-call vote; the clerk noted that referrals and any re-referrals would be made in accordance with supplemental orders of the day that may be filed later.
The Senate then took a procedural roll-call item to note Senator Aquino as present. Later the chamber approved a motion to recess: Senator Wakai moved the recess until 10 a.m. to meet the House in joint session to receive the governor—s State of the State address and also moved that the Senate reconvene on Thursday, Jan. 23 at 9 a.m.; Senator Descartes seconded that motion, which carried with no objections.
The Senate approved the preceding day—s journal and closed the floor business with these procedural steps. The chamber also announced that on Thursday, Jan. 23 the Senate session will convene at 9 a.m., to be followed by the State of the Judiciary at 10 a.m. in the Senate chambers.
