Senate wraps up for day, GOP heads into caucus
The Senate has wrapped up its official business for the day, including suspending its rules and passing HB 281, the IRS conformity bill; and appropriation bills to fund the state Capitol Commission and the Agricultural Research and Cooperative Extension Service. Now, Senate Republicans have headed behind closed doors for a caucus.
Before the Senate finished up, at one point, a few senators were missing, so Sen. Denton Darrington, R-Declo, requested a call of the Senate. That formal move prompts the doors to be locked, and the Sergeant-at-Arms to search out and bring in any missing senators. Pretty soon, everyone was there except Sen. Jeff Siddoway, R-Terreton, a sheep and elk rancher who was presenting his anti-bighorn sheep bill to the House Resources Committee. As word of that filtered around, senators milled around the chamber and braced for a wait. For about 10 minutes, the doors remained locked and no one was allowed to enter or leave - including me (terrible timing on my part). Then the call was lifted.
