MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG
Mo. Digital News
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Mo. Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG
Mo. Digital News
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Mo. Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
JEFFERSON CITY - Senate floor leader Ed Quick, D-Liberty, laughed when he heard that the House had passed the proposal to take over all office space in the State Capitol.
Quick, who is chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, said he was not familiar with the resolution.
"We'll have to wait and see what changes they have proposed," he said. Quick said he was sure the Senate would examine the measure closely.
The House approved on a voice vote Tuesday the resolution that would give the legislature the right to control all of the Capitol's office space, including the governor's office.
Resolution sponsor Rep. Tim Green, D-St. Louis, said the measure is designed to make the Capitol more accessible to visitors with disabilities, not to kick out the governor.
"We need to have more office space," he said. "Some lawmakers have offices that are very small, or up stairs, and a lot of disabled visitors can't get into them."
However, the resolution did not specifically exclude executive offices, which would mean the legislature could ask the governor to leave.
The governor has no veto authority over the resolution if the House and Senate pass the measure.
Senate Minority leader Steve Ehlmann, R-St.Charles, said he understood the resolution is to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
"I understand the intent is to keep the ceremonial offices for statewide elected officials here, but get all the support staff into another building," he said.