Senate Committee Weighs Returning to 'Inactive' Calendar, Members Seek Clearer Meeting Notices

Committee members debated a procedural proposal to reintroduce an "inactive" calendar category, a practice the chair said had been used during COVID protocols. The chair said Senator Tucker suggested that bills not be left on the active agenda unless the sponsor requests they be placed; the proposal would add an 'inactive' list in addition to regular and deferred lists.

Unidentified senators expressed concern about calendar transparency and timing after one member reported seeing the committee meeting listed as canceled on the calendar over the weekend and later showing up with an agenda. Senator Dodson said a senator may request that a bill on the active regular agenda be sent to deferred and explained that immediate removal without two days' notice would require suspending the rules. Dodson described staff-sponsor coordination options for placing bills on regular, deferred, or inactive lists and explained how filing timing affects automatic calendar placement.

Why it matters: the discussion concerns how items are presented to the public and to members, including whether recurring but dormant bills should continue to appear on the active agenda and how much advance notice members and the public should expect for meeting postings. No motion or formal rule change was recorded in the transcript.