Bill Text: DE SR22 | 2023-2024 | 152nd General Assembly | Draft
Bill Title: Requesting Senate Leadership Consider Nonpartisan Seating Arrangements In The Senate Chamber For Future General Assemblies.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2024-06-30 - Defeated By Senate. Votes: 6 YES 2 NO 13 NOT VOTING [SR22 Detail]
Download: Delaware-2023-SR22-Draft.html
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SPONSOR: |
Sen. Buckson |
DELAWARE STATE SENATE
152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 22
REQUESTING SENATE LEADERSHIP CONSIDER NONPARTISAN SEATING ARRANGEMENTS IN THE SENATE CHAMBER FOR FUTURE GENERAL ASSEMBLIES.
WHEREAS, current Delaware General Assembly Senate chamber seating is defined in Senate Rules, Rule 14, Assignment and Control of Legislative Space and is designated by Senate leadership; and
WHEREAS, Oregon’s Senate, Iowa’s House of Representatives, and Nebraska’s unicameral legislature designate chamber seating based on seniority; and
WHEREAS, the New Hampshire and Vermont Senate chambers assign seats by district number; and
WHEREAS, the Arizona House Chamber allows members to pick any seats they choose; and
WHEREAS, many state chambers prioritize legislators who may have physical impairment that requires an accommodation to choose a seat first; and
WHEREAS, many state chambers allow members of either chamber who once served in the opposite chamber to pick seating first; and
WHEREAS, in Idaho, once leadership, physically impaired members, and members who previously served in the opposite chamber pick their seating, the Chief Clerk randomly draws the remaining names out of hat; each member then picks a seat in the order their name is drawn; and
WHEREAS, chambers in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Tennessee, and Maine have (or at one point in the last few years) bipartisan seating; and
WHEREAS, guidelines established by the Delaware Senate Leadership could promote bipartisan collaboration instead of separation; and
WHEREAS, our Senate floor, which can be seen by every guest who enters the chamber and watches proceedings via livestream, should reflect a bipartisan view with the carpet moved to the middle of the aisle.
NOW, THEREFORE:
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the 152 nd General Assembly of the State of Delaware that Senate leadership is encouraged to consider a nonpartisan seating arrangement in the Senate Chamber for future General Assemblies.
SYNOPSIS
This Senate Resolution encourages Senate leadership to consider a nonpartisan seating arrangement in the Senate Chamber for future General Assemblies.
Author: Senator Buckson
