Kansas legislative chambers take first three Fridays off, creating slow start to new session

TOPEKA – They don’t take roll call on pro forma days in the Kansas Senate, but fewer than 10 of the 40 members were present Friday. In the 125-member House, it required only two hands to take the count.

The State Legislature essentially has taken off every Friday since the session opened Jan. 9.

Pro forma is a Latin term meaning “as a matter of form” and on Friday, the Senate opened about 8:03 and adjourned at 8:05 a.m. The House opened about 9:01 and adjourned about 9:03 a.m.

“Usually the first couple of weeks start pretty slow. It’s not normal to have three pro formas in a row,” said Sen. Carolyn McGinn, R-Sedgwick. “Not sure why we’re doing that, but I don’t make those decisions.”

Read more: http://www.hutchnews.com/news/local_state_news/kansas-legislative-chambers-take-first-three-fridays-off-creating-slow/article_5647b508-51e3-5524-b9c9-f9ab2a2eba11.html