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Senate recesses special session until Oct. 3 after senators raise concerns about turned-off livestream monitors
Summary
Lawmakers recessed the first special session until Friday, Oct. 3 at 9 a.m. after a point of order said audiovisual monitors used to verify live streaming and identify speakers had been turned off at the request of the presiding officer.
The Senate recessed its first special session until Friday, Oct. 3, at 9 a.m. after a senator raised a point of order about audiovisual monitors that staff use to confirm whether proceedings are being live streamed and to identify speakers.
The question of whether the chamber’s monitors were on — and who could see the feed — interrupted business before the Senate took up special-session bills. "The monitors in here that allow us to monitor whether this being live streamed are not on," an unnamed senator raised during a point of order, saying she had been told by AV that the monitors "were turned off at the request of the speaker" and that the change prevented members from seeing who was speaking without turning in their seats.
The matter drew short exchanges on chamber protocol. Sen. Loh, the presiding officer, responded that "this body is to function and all inquiries and all communication is directed to the dais," and said the feed could be monitored by staff and the presiding officer. Sen. Duane also sought a reason for why the TVs were turned off.
Later in the session, Senator Sidus Mosse reported on behalf of the Committee on Finance and Government Operations and asked that the body reconvene to continue work on the special-session bills. "I wish to report that the Committee on Finance and Government Operations is continuing work on the special session bills. So I at this point in time, I would ask that we reconvene at 9AM on Friday to consider the special session," Mosse said.
There was an objection to the motion to recess, but after members were asked to indicate support by raising their hands the presiding officer said the motion carried and the Senate recessed.
The session record notes the point of order about monitoring and livestream access but does not show any formal ruling recorded on that issue; the next scheduled meeting time was set by the committee report and carried by the recess motion.
