Jim Rosica
In a rare move, the Senate will meet on Saturday to consider school safety legislation.
With the Session clock ticking down, Senate President Joe Negron announced the weekend sitting on Friday morning in a memo to fellow senators. The 2018 Legislative Session is scheduled to end next Friday.
A floor session is planned for 10 a.m.-1 p.m. to hear the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act (SB 7026).
Senate President-designate Bill Galvano, the Bradenton Republican working on the bill, “informed me that he would like to temporarily postpone consideration of Senate Bill 7026 today to allow additional time to work on this important issue,” Negron wrote.
“As you may be aware, after the 58th day of Session (March 7), the House may only consider returning messages, conference reports and concurrent resolutions,” Negron said. “I do not want to delay consideration of Senate Bill 7026 until next week, possibly affecting the House’s ability to hear the Senate Bill.
“Holding a sitting on Saturday is the best option for both working within our existing rules and affording this legislation the serious time and consideration it deserves,” he added.
“As previously planned, the bill would be heard on Third Reading and available for a final vote on Monday, March 5, 2018.
“My goal is to ensure the Senate has ample time to consider this important bill.”
Asked the last time the body met on a Saturday, Senate spokeswoman Katie Betta said she checked with the chamber’s longest-serving staff member, Deputy Secretary of the Senate Gary McKenzie.
“He did not immediately recall a Saturday sitting scheduled during a Regular Session,” she said. “There have, however, been many cases where session extended into Saturday, and also when a sitting during a special session occurred on a Saturday. There have also been committee meetings scheduled for Saturdays.”
One comment
Eric Lambert
March 2, 2018 at 11:08 am
We need this BILL!!! Let our teachers have a right to defend themselves and students. This bill will give the teachers the background,training and mental test…. So saying it’s dangerous is wrong!!! The teachers will be VETed better than before and would have help in case like the GA teachers with mental illness. This is a good bill that give our kids what that asked for. “Safe schools”
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