Senate State Agencies & Governmental Affairs committee adopts rules, sets regular meeting schedule

Senator Blake Johnson, chair of the Senate State Agencies & Governmental Affairs Committee, called the committee to order and opened the meeting with a welcome.

The committee adopted its rules after a motion and second on the record; the motion was approved by voice vote. The motion’s mover and seconder were not named on the public record. Chair Johnson told members, "Members, you have the rules in your packet," before the voice vote.

Johnson also announced the committee's regular meeting schedule: "We'll meet on Tuesdays at 10:00 and on Thursdays at 9," until further schedule changes are announced. He introduced committee staff, including committee analyst Carly Cooper and committee assistant April Summons, and named committee attorney Michelle Davenport, noting she was not present.

Several senators introduced themselves and their districts at the start of the meeting, including Senator Steve Kroll (District 3), Senator John Payton (District 22), Senator Jim Dodson (District 34), Senator Bart Hester (District 33), Senator Stephanie Flowers (District 8), Senator Brian King (District 28) and Senator Clark Tucker, who identified himself as vice chair and said he represents Little Rock's District 14.

Chair Johnson said the committee had "one bill on the House floor today, and we have one referred," and stated that the committee would not handle that business at this meeting. During a brief exchange near the end of the session, a person in the gallery identified herself as "Leslie" when asked whether she was the governor's office liaison; another name, "Gabriel," was spoken during that exchange. The transcript does not record official titles for those individuals.

With no further business, Johnson closed the meeting: "Seeing none, we are adjourned."