Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

Date:02/11/2011
ATTENDANCE
Time:08:03 AM to 08:20 AM
Boyd
X
Cadman
X
Place:HCR 0112
Ferrandino
E
Hodge
X
This Meeting was called to order by
Kerr J.
X
Senator Shaffer B.
Kopp
*
Levy
X
This Report was prepared by
Morse
X
Katey McGettrick
Nicholson
*
Nikkel
*
Pace
*
Priola
X
Renfroe
X
Scheffel
*
Stephens
X
Todd
X
McNulty
X
Shaffer B.
X
X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call
Bills Addressed: Action Taken:
Election
Legislative Council Staff Budget
Consideration of Rule Changes
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-
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08:04 AM -- Election

President Shaffer called the committee to order. He explained that the first order of business is to elect a chair and vice-chair of the Legislative Council. He noted that chairmanship switches each year between the two houses, and that this year the chairmanship rests in the Senate.
BILL:Election
TIME: 08:05:05 AM
MOVED:McNulty
MOTION:Moved to name President Shaffer as the chair of the Legislative Council. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Kerr J.
VOTE
Boyd
Cadman
Ferrandino
Excused
Hodge
Kerr J.
Kopp
Excused
Levy
Morse
Nicholson
Excused
Nikkel
Excused
Pace
Excused
Priola
Renfroe
Scheffel
Excused
Stephens
Todd
McNulty
Shaffer B.
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 6 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:Election
TIME: 08:05:32 AM
MOVED:Shaffer B.
MOTION:Moved to name Speaker McNulty as the vice chair of the Legislative Council. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Kerr J.
VOTE
Boyd
Cadman
Ferrandino
Excused
Hodge
Kerr J.
Kopp
Excused
Levy
Morse
Nicholson
Excused
Nikkel
Excused
Pace
Excused
Priola
Renfroe
Scheffel
Excused
Stephens
Todd
McNulty
Shaffer B.
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 6 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection




08:05 AM -- Legislative Council Staff Budget

Mike Mauer, Director of Legislative Council Staff (LCS), presented the LCS budget to the committee (Attachment A). He noted that budget requests increases in health, life, and dental, because of cost changes in those benefits, the inclusion of dome attendant staff in the Legislative Council Staff budget, and an increase in the number of employed staff with family. He noted that the personal services lines have been reduced by 1.5 percent and that the proposed continuation of the 2.5 percent reduction in the state's PERA was also included.

110211AttachA.pdf
BILL:Legislative Council Staff Budget
TIME: 08:08:26 AM
MOVED:Morse
MOTION:Moved to approve Legislative Council Staff budget recommendations and forward to the Executive Committee for its approval. The motion passed on a 15-0-3 vote.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Boyd
Yes
Cadman
Yes
Ferrandino
Excused
Hodge
Yes
Kerr J.
Yes
Kopp
Yes
Levy
Yes
Morse
Yes
Nicholson
Excused
Nikkel
Excused
Pace
Yes
Priola
Yes
Renfroe
Yes
Scheffel
Yes
Stephens
Yes
Todd
Yes
McNulty
Yes
Shaffer B.
Yes
Final YES: 15 NO: 0 EXC: 3 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS












08:10 AM -- Consideration of Rule Changes

Mike Mauer, reviewed the two proposed changes to the Legislative Council rules. Mr. Mauer first discussed the amendment to Legislative Council Rule VI (2) (Attachment B), noting that this amendment reflects the changes made in law to make the Legislative Council a committee of reference for the purpose of reviewing and prioritizing interim committees or other activities requiring legislative resources in the interim. Senator Boyd asked about the process for hearing these bills and whether there would be witness testimony. Mr. Mauer responded that testimony will be heard by a committee of reference and the Legislative Council would act in a manner similar to the appropriations committees and hear no testimony on bills referred by committees of reference. Senator Kopp asked how the routing process works. Mr. Mauer noted that the statute requires that Legislative Council hear the bills in both houses, but that changes can be considered to make the process more efficient.

110211AttachB.pdf
BILL:Consideration of Rule Changes
TIME: 08:15:20 AM
MOVED:McNulty
MOTION:Moved to approve the amendments to Legislative Council Rule VI (2). The motion passed on a 17-0-1 vote.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Boyd
Yes
Cadman
Yes
Ferrandino
Excused
Hodge
Yes
Kerr J.
Yes
Kopp
Yes
Levy
Yes
Morse
Yes
Nicholson
Yes
Nikkel
Yes
Pace
Yes
Priola
Yes
Renfroe
Yes
Scheffel
Yes
Stephens
Yes
Todd
Yes
McNulty
Yes
Shaffer B.
Yes
Final YES: 17 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS



08:17 AM

President Shaffer stated that the Senate modified the routing memorandum to ensure consistency with the statute. Mr. Mauer noted that the House routing sheet also includes this directive. Next, Mr. Mauer discussed a change to Legislative Council Rule XI. He explained that this amendment brings Legislative Council in line with the way that other legislative service agencies operate, noting that the amendment language is currently used by the Joint Budget Committee.

110211AttachC.pdf
BILL:Consideration of Rule Changes
TIME: 08:18:51 AM
MOVED:McNulty
MOTION:Moved to approve the amendment to Legislative Council Rule XI. The motion passed on a 17-0-1 vote.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Boyd
Yes
Cadman
Yes
Ferrandino
Excused
Hodge
Yes
Kerr J.
Yes
Kopp
Yes
Levy
Yes
Morse
Yes
Nicholson
Yes
Nikkel
Yes
Pace
Yes
Priola
Yes
Renfroe
Yes
Scheffel
Yes
Stephens
Yes
Todd
Yes
McNulty
Yes
Shaffer B.
Yes
Final YES: 17 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

08:19 AM

The committee adjourned.