Committee on Government Operations
Senate of the Associated Students
Minutes for Wednesday, 13th of March 2013 at 7:00 PM
Rita Laden Senate Chambers, Joe Crowley Student Union
1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER
Senator Malin called the meeting on the Committee on Government Operations to order at 7:04 PM,
presiding Secretary, Andrew Chais.
2. ROLL CALL
Senator C. Tesser was tardy unexcused. All other Senators were present.
A quorum was present.
3.
PUBLIC COMMENT
There was no public comment at this time.
4. MINUTES
a. Feb. 27, 2013
Senator Swanson motioned to approve the minutes from February 27, 2013. Senator Snyder
seconded.
Senator Snyder asked if they could add which specific Member-at-Large spoke.
Motion passed.
5.
OLD BUSINESS
6.
NEW BUSINESS
Senator Byrnes asked if they could recess until Nicky Damania arrives.
Senator Swanson motioned to recess for 15 minutes. Senator Snyder seconded.
a. S.B. 80-GV#13
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March 13, 2013
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Senator Byrnes began to explain the bill.
Senator Swanson motioned to approve S.B 80-GV#13. Senator Byrnes seconded.
Senator Byrnes motioned by unanimous consent, explained
Motion passed.
Senator Swanson asked why it was on 2 pages.
Senator Malin explained.
Motion passed.
b. S.B. 80-GV#14
Senator Malin reconvened the meeting at 7:21 PM.
Senator C Tesser entered at 7:21 PM
Elections Chair Kuzhippala began to discuss the changes that he wants to make. He said he wanted
to change anywhere that it says Election Code or Code of Election to say Elections Code or Code
of Elections. He said he wants to change the mandatory cleanup day to be Friday instead of
Saturday. He continued to read further changes. He said they are removing the section about
candidate nicknames because they feel it is more professional.
Senator Snyder said that it is common to use nicknames for better public appeal.
Elections chair Kuzhippala continued to discuss and read the changes.
Senator Malin recommended tabling this for the next meeting and he would have it written up. He
also recommended that the Members-at-Large work on this and asked for any volunteers.
Senator Byrnes volunteered.
Elections chair Kuzhippala said to let him know if they need any clarifications to let him know.
Senator Byrnes motioned to table S.B. 80-GV#14. Senator Swanson seconded.
Motion passed.
Senator Malin asked that this be ready by the next Senate meeting.
Senator Byrnes asked if they could submit it straight to Senate.
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Senator O’Shea said they could ask Speaker Higgins about motions-to-fast-track.
a. S.B. 80-GV#13
Senator Byrnes began to explain the bill.
Senator Swanson motioned to approve S.B 80-GV#13. Senator Byrnes seconded.
Senator Byrnes motioned to insert a point c by unanimous consent.
Motion passed.
Senator Swanson asked why it was on 2 pages.
Senator Malin explained.
Motion passed.
c. SAS Budgetary Recommendation from Budget and Finance Committee
Senator Byrnes motioned to table SAS Budgetary Recommendation from Budget and Finance
Committee. Senator Swanson seconded
Motion passed.
d. Review of Senate Rules
Nicky Damania presented his recommendations. He said he wanted to clean up the verbiage and
make things more congruent to make sure they didn’t get duplicated. He said he also wanted the
formatting of the Senate Rules to match the SAS. He began to discuss the changes in the rules that
he wants to be implemented. He discussed that the rules can be changed from session to session.
Senator Byrnes asked if he is recommending that they get rid of the Senate rules and incorporate it
into the SAS.
Nicky Damania explained that the majority portion that makes the Senate move should be in the
SAS. He said they are held more accountable when they have violated something in the SAS as
opposed to the Senate Rules.
Senator Malin explained that the Attorney General can hold Senate members accountable for
violations of the Senate Rules as well.
Senator O’Shea explained the results of those cases.
Nicky Damania continued to discuss the rules and the accountability of Senators.
Member-at-Large Button asked how they feel about the point system.
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Senator O’Shea discussed the point system and said there are a lot of things that it does not cover.
Senator Byrnes said that it has been recommended that they move these things into the SAS.
Senator O’Shea discussed the problem with the point system. He said Senators are allowed to bring
up challenges to any points that they have accumulated.
Member-at-Large Button asked about the punishments.
Senator O’Shea discussed the punishments and said they are difficult to understand.
The committee discussed the punishment process of the Senate Rules and made suggestions.
Nicky Damania continued to discuss the Senate Rules and his recommendations. He discussed the
rules about how the Speaker is required to hold meetings.
The committee discussed the rule.
Senator Snyder explained his understanding of the ruling. He said that he feels it applies to the
period of time when school is not in session.
Senator Swanson said she does not understand why it does not say Senate must meet every week.
The committee continued to discuss the role of the Speaker.
Nicky Damania informed the committee that someone other than the Speaker of the Senate could
post the agendas. He continued to discuss the Senate Rules.
Senator Byrnes motioned to suspend Robert’s Rules. Senator Swanson seconded.
Motion passed.
Nicky Damania moved on to discuss Rule 2. He asked if the Secretary gives the Oaths during the
first meeting.
Senator Malin explained how the Oaths are giving during the first meeting.
Nicky Damania and the committee continued to discuss rule 2.
Senator Malin asked Nicky how much longer he thinks he needs to discuss the rules and said he has
a test he needs to study for.
The committee discussed how they should go about giving their recommendations for the Senate
Rules to the next Session.
The committee discussed having a long meeting to finish reviewing the Senate Rules.
The committee stated that the meeting would be on March 31st.
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Senator Byrnes motioned to reinstate the rules. Senator Swanson seconded.
Motion passed.
Senator Byrnes motioned to postpone reviewing the Senate Rules until the next meeting. Senator
Swanson seconded.
Motion passed.
7.
PUBLIC COMMENT
There was no public comment at this time.
8.
ADJOURNMENT
Seeing no further business to come before the Committee, Senator Malin adjourned the meeting at 8:23
PM.