Senate schedules committee hearings, refers gubernatorial appointments and hears motion to adjourn

Senate members heard a series of routine scheduling announcements. A senator announced that Senate Finance will convene at 1:15 p.m. for a joint hearing by Zoom with the House and the Senate Education Committee to examine an expected 18% property tax increase. "We have a joint hearing, on Zoom, with the house and with the education committee in the senate, to look into the issue of the, expected 18% property tax increase," the senator said.

The presiding officer announced that eight gubernatorial appointments would be referred to their respective committees and that senators will see the referral list in the journal distributed tomorrow. Another senator said the Senate Government Operations Committee received at least one referral (the transcript contains an unclear phrase on the exact count). Senate Institutions was scheduled to meet about 15 minutes after the gavel.

During the announcements period a senator moved that, pending announcements, the Senate "stand in adjournment until tomorrow, Friday, January 26th at 11:30 AM." The presiding officer called for a voice vote — members responded "Aye" and were asked to indicate opposition by saying "nay" — but the transcript ends before a formal tally or an unambiguous recording of the outcome.

Governor Douglas was present in the chamber and was acknowledged by the presiding officer. The transcript records scheduling and referral activity but does not document committee testimony, debate on proposals, or the final result of the adjournment vote.