A Senate committee is no longer considering banning lobbyists from an adjacent hallway to the Senate chambers.
The Legislative Procedures Committee is tabling the rule for now.
Senate Majority Leader Blake Curd says the committee can convene at any time to change the rule, if a problem arises.
“The opportunity for this issue to be addressed, should it need be, could rest solely at the discretion of the President Pro Temp, should an issue be found should it need to be addressed in the future,” Curd says. “I also believe that with the appropriate mechanism we could address it through a legislative procedures rule committee hearing if a need so arose at any point during a legislative session.”
Last week Senators considered banning lobbyists from the hallway three hours before the Senate convened, and one hour after.
Senator Ryan Maher brought forth the rule change. He says at times lobbyists are distracting to senators who do their work on the senate floor when they’re not adjourned.
Senate President Pro Temp Brock Greenfield can change senate floor rules as he sees fit.