Senate president outlines concerns about infrastructure, shares historical remarks and a memorial to Matt Hilliard

President Niederhauser opened the Senate’s remarks on Jan. 19 with an extended historical overview of the Great Seal of the United States, noting design elements adopted in 1782 and citing research from the U.S. Department of State. He described visual features such as the eagle, the olive branch, the 13 arrows and the pyramid and connected those symbols to themes of unity and national founding.

During the remarks the president said he had produced commemorative coins bearing the Senate seal and that senators would receive copies. He told the chamber, "we're just gonna pass these out without permission from the State Department," and defended the distribution as a governmental purpose, referencing the law that allows limited official use of the seal.

Niederhauser also raised the issue of increasing congestion on freeways, state and local roads, saying the problem had become apparent to him over the past six months despite "several billion dollars of investment" in prior decades. He said the Legislature will need incremental work on transportation, water, education and tax reform to meet infrastructure needs.

The Senate paused for a personal remembrance of Matt Hilliard. Multiple senators and family members offered tributes recalling his warmth, competitiveness and personal kindness; the chamber agreed to have those remarks "spread upon the pages of the Senate" so they would be part of the official record.

Senator Ibsen then introduced interns and the president recognized session staff, thanking page supervisors, clerks, the videographer and the secretary of the Senate for their support.