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Committee hears SJR 10 to let legislature call itself into special session; sponsors cite branch parity
Summary
SJR 10, a constitutional amendment to allow the General Assembly to call itself into special session by joint proclamation, was presented; sponsors said it equalizes legislative power with the executive and leaves thresholds to joint rules; no vote was taken.
Representative Fran Kavanaugh presented Senate Joint Resolution 10, a proposed constitutional amendment that would permit the General Assembly to call itself into special session by joint proclamation of the two chambers and require the adoption of joint rules to set thresholds for doing so.
Kavanaugh said the change is intended to "equalize the power between the two branches" and would not limit what could be heard in such sessions. She said each General Assembly could set its own joint rules on the threshold — simple majority, two‑thirds, three‑quarters, or another level — and that the approach preserves the governor's existing authority to call special sessions.
Committee members asked whether the joint rules could remove discretion from chamber leaders and whether special sessions would be open‑ended. Kavanaugh responded that the joint rules would be the mechanism to define voting thresholds and that her intent was to leave sessions open to any subject the members deemed appropriate.
No vote was taken. Sponsors and committee members indicated they expect further discussion and possible amendments before any floor action.
