The Senate is suing the House over nine bills that passed the legislature last term but didn’t physically make it to the governor before the new session started.
Democratic state Senator John Cherry says it’s the House’s duty under the state constitution to forward bills to the governor once they’ve passed—regardless of when that happened.
“This lawsuit is really about whether we’re going to be a legislature that follows the constitution.”
Republican House Speaker Matt Hall, who took control of the chamber from Democrats in January, argues last term’s bills aren’t his problem.
“They screwed up, they made the mistake, the Democrats, and they’re mad and they’re taking it out on the state House.”
A lower court ruled the bills do have to go to the governor, but refused to command the House to send them over.
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