Senate redesignates legislative day after weather closure, moves resolution deadline and grants hearing waiver

The presiding officer said the Senate would be closed after Governor Josh Green announced state offices would shut on Friday, March 13, and that the chamber and House Speaker jointly agreed to close the legislature, prompting a renumbering of legislative days and a shift in one deadline.

"Following Governor Josh Green's announcement that state offices would be closed on Friday, March 13 due to severe weather conditions, the speaker and I jointly decided that the legislature would be closed," the presiding officer said. He added that the redesignation "will not affect any deadlines on the legislative timetable except for the substantive resolution cutoff, which was moved to this afternoon." (President)

Why it matters: Renumbering legislative days and moving a filing cutoff can affect which measures qualify for consideration and the scheduling of committee hearings. The clerk reported miscellaneous communications renumbering legislative days and adjusting the substantive resolution introduction deadline to March 16, 2026.

Senator Kim asked the chamber to waive the public-notice requirement under Senate Rule 21 to permit the Committee on Education to hold a public hearing on a slate of House bills that were delayed by the weather. She listed the bill numbers on the floor and said the committee would meet on Wednesday, March 18 at 1 p.m. in Conference Room 229; the notice was filed with the clerk's office the same morning.

"Your committees on education will hold a public hearing on set measures on Wednesday, March 18 at 1PM in Conference Room 229," Senator Kim said after the waiver was granted. (Senator Kim)

The chamber concluded business by agreeing to a motion to stand in recess. Senator Wakai moved that the Senate recess, leaving the journal open until 4:30 p.m. for the receipt of senate concurrent resolutions and senate resolutions and that the Senate reconvene at 11:30 a.m. the following day; the motion was seconded and, with no objections, the Senate recessed by unanimous consent.

The journal will remain open until 4:30 p.m. for filings; senators were reminded of the new filing and scheduling deadlines announced on the floor. The Senate is scheduled to reconvene at 11:30 a.m. the next day.