Question to be answered by Matt B, Xavier D, Kaycee D, and Cashendra J. The House and Senate have many complex rules and procedures. I certainly do not expect you to know all of them. But here are a few that might be helpful in understanding news stories about the legislature. Though I am assigning this to only part of the class and though it is pretty basic, I want all of you to read the answers.
- The legislature has annual sessions (unlike some state that have full sessions only every other year, such as N.C.) that meet when during the year?
- Which house allows filibuster?
- Who are the most important leaders in both houses and what do they do?
- What role does the Lt. Governor play in the legislature?
- Where does most legislation come from?
4 comments:
a. The Legislature meets starting on the second Tuesday in January and goes through the first Thursday in June.
b. The Senate allows Filibusters
c. The Senate- President Pro Tem House- The Speaker
Both make appointments, preside over their chambers, refer bills, maintain the good relationship between the two houses.
d. The Lt. Governor is the presiding officer in the Senate. If absent then the President Pro Tem assumes his role
e. Most legislation comes from the governor, state agencies, legislative leaders, organized interest groups, citizens, events, and other legislators.
-kaycee doying
a. The legislature has annual sessions (unlike some state that have full sessions only every other year, such as N.C.) that meet when during the year?
The General Assembly meets on the second Tuesday in January and continues through the first Thursday in June, unless two-thirds of both houses vote for an extension. The legislature agrees to reconvene for one or two days in late June, and that is to consider specific bills not completed by adjournment and review vetoes by the governor.
b. Which house allows filibuster?
In South Carolina, the senate recognizes the use of filibuster by a single senator or a group of senators. The House does not use filibuster.
c. Who are the most important leaders in both houses and what do they do?
The leaders in the House are: Speaker, majority and minority leader, and committee chairpersons. The leaders in the Senate are: President of the Senate, the President Pro Tem, majority and minority leaders, and committee chairpersons. Speaker and President Pro Tem are the most important leaders and much reasonability in their areas. As stated in the text, both have duties like making appointments, presiding over their chamber, referring bills, taking criticism and political carping when necessary from the legislative process, maintain a relationship with the other house, handling ethical issues and helping members get elected. The only difference is that the President Pro Tem does not refer bills to committees but the Speaker as that power. This is due that lieutenant governor is the presiding officer in the senate. Only when the lieutenant governor is absent from the senate, then the President Pro Tem has that power.
d. What role does the Lt. Governor play in the legislature?
The Lt. Governor role in the legislature is being the presiding officer in the senate. When he is absent, then the President Pro Tem takes over.
e. Where does most legislation come from?
Many sources of Legislation (as stated from the text) come from the governor and state agencies, legislative leaders, organized interest groups, citizens, events, and legislators themselves.
Xavier de Jesus
A. The Legislature beginns meeting on the second Tuesday in January. The meetings proceed up until the first Thursday in June.
B. The Senate
C. The President Pro Tem is the most important leader in the Senate and the Speaker is the most important in the House. They both perform duties such as referring bills, setting appointments and keeping a good relationship within the houses.
D. His role is presiding officer. In his absence, the President Pro Tem takes on his role.
E. Sources of Legislation come from the governor, legislative leaders, citizens of the state, and from within legislation.
CoShendra Jackson
Let me begin with an apology to CoShendra -- I have been mispelling your name! I will try to get it right on postings put up after today!
While all of you gave adequate answers, Xavier's was most rich in detail and in precision.
You will note that today, June 6, IS the first Thursday in June and therefore is the last day the General Assembly can meet in general session. As of this morning, they still had a lot to do to complete their work. Although I have not looked at breaking news today, I would guess that a lot of things will just not get done as they come to some agreement on tax cuts and the state budget, which always gets passed at the last minute. If they do that and Governor Sanford issues his usual vetoes, then they wil come back in a week or so to override most of those vetoes (again, as they usually do). If things should really logjam today (reflecting the difficulty of compromise in the legislature), then state agencies will have to continue on this past year's budget till they do get a budget passed -- and they will have to vote to extend the session to do that. We will know all this late tonight!
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