Day One at the Capitol First Reading of Bills

The House and Senate convene today around noon. As soon as there is a quorum, the Senate will accept the offer of the House to wander across the Rotunda and find seats in the House Chamber to hear the State of the State and Budget address of Governor Henry.

Before adjourning, the Majority leader (for the day) will announce, "Mr. President, I move that when the desk is clear that the Senate be adjourned until" (a time certain). This allows the Senate, and the same thing will take place in the House after the governor's address, to meet the Constitutional requirement that all bills by read three times. The First Reading will take place today as each bill will be read by number and short title i.e. "Senate bill 49, Agriculture," while the senators listen to the Governor. Once all the senate bills have been read the official adjourment for the day takes place. On Tuesday, Second Reading will occur with the Presiding Officer directing the bill to committee. Thus, by the end of the legislative day Tuesday, all bills will have been assigned, if things go well, and each will begin it's tortourous journey through the committee process and public scrutiny.

Third Reading will occur when the bill is presented on the floor after committee work. Much later in the Session and after the bill has passed through the system in both House and Senate it is ready for "Fourth Reading and Final Passage." Then it is enrolled and engrossed and sent to the Governor for his signature or veto.

The fact is - the bill is never "read."

Looking at the schedule for legislative deadlines, February 22nd is the deadline for bills to be out of Senate Committees. However that deadline is March 8th in the House although February 22nd is the deadline for bills to come out of House subcommittees. This raises interesting questions because of the double dose that a bill will get in the House and the Co-chair issue in the Senate and two different deadline dates. If you drop your pencil and bend over to get it, no telling what might happen while your head is down. The House deadline sheet notes that these are proposed deadlines which is House speak for "we are probably going to change this when we realize that the Senate won't have anything to do while waiting for House bills to get out committee and to the floor." Rules still say that a bill must be heard by the full House before it can go to the Senate.