PIERRE, S.D. (KELO.com) — House Majority Leader Lee Qualm says as of Thursday afternoon an estimated 118 bills are still pending a first hearing in various House committees. ‘Cross over day’, the deadline for bills to clear committees and pass out of the house of origin, is next Thursday.
Qualm says the House State Affairs committee will have a long day Monday and he expects work to go into the evening. The House State Affairs Committee began meeting twice daily earlier this week and has run as late as 8:30 p.m. working on bill assignments.
But the work will get done, says Qualm who points out that short days are the exception during any legislative cross over week, not the rule.
Qualm says the House has been clearing its daily calendar most days and only defers bills when additional information regarding a bill is still pending.
The State Senate is a different story. Senators this session have introduced roughly 100 fewer bills than their colleagues in the House – also not uncommon for any session. However, the Senate may likely have its own long days ahead depending upon how many bills the House sends its way following cross over day.
(Patrick Callahan, SDBA, contributed this report.)
