After at least one loud, jangling cell phone went off during the prayer that opened the joint session of the Legislature on Monday night for the State of the State address, House Speaker Bruce Newcomb brandished the heavy wooden gavel he uses to call the House to order. Waving it, he announced, "Please, we'd ask anybody that has a cell phone to turn it off, or it will be absconded and mashed with this mallet here before your eyes."

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