“We are back to the drawing board on 606,” SGA Vice President Aaron Caton said at Tuesday’s meeting.
This was after an announcement that SGA President Jennifer Berry had vetoed the bill that was passed at last week’s meeting.
The vetoed bill, sponsored by Senators Ethan Flynn and Tiffany Porter, eliminated Summer 606 funding and added two extra 606 funding sessions, one to each semester.
In announcements read by Secretary/Treasurer Priya Ponnapula, Berry told the Senate to keep working for a solution.
“Please keep looking at summer 606,” she said, “Just because you passed a bill does not mean you can’t add or take away.”
The Senate had the option to override Berry’s veto but chose not to do so.
However, the Senate did vote to ask Attorney General Jarrod Suits to ask the Student Court for more time to address the issue of Summer 606.
The Student Court had ordered the SGA to make regular session 606 guidelines apply to the summer session.
Porter asked the chairman to allow a second reading of a bill that was one of three bills deemed emergency legislation at last week’s meeting but it was never voted upon.
This sparked a lively debate concerning whether the bill had seen a first reading in the Senate and whether the bill had gone through the correct legal process and steps.
“It is my impression, as chair of this meeting, that these other two bills were essentially withdrawn,” said Caton.
Caton said no to a second reading of the bill.
“I think we’ll be a lot better off if we wait, see what we can come up with and do this right,” he said.
If the Student Court grants additional time, the Senate will be able to consider other options besides simply eliminating Summer 606 funding sessions or adding extra 606 funding sessions as the vetoed bill did.
Two other bills also came up for discussion. Neither had been discussed by the legislative committee before being brought before the Senate.
Therefore, the Senate went into committee of the whole, which closed the meeting and allowed them to discuss the two bills.
One bill proposed opening the Niswonger Digital Media Center and its equipment to all the students due to the fact that students are entitled to usage of all facilities that are funded by student tuition, according to bill sponsor Sen. James Sheffey. Once the digital media program funds itself, the bill becomes null and void. This bill was tabled until next week in order to gain more information about the issue.
The second bill proposed that the Center for Physical Activity extend their hours to 11 p.m. so students who have night classes will be able to work out after class.
This bill was withdrawn due to the fact that the CPA is temporarily extending its hours this semester to see how well the extended hours work. The bill will be rewritten to make the change permanent.
During cabinet announcements, Suits mentioned the possible creation of a new cabinet position, a Surgeon General, who would handle and raise awareness about health issues that would affect the student body.
“It’s not for a bigger government. It’s for a better government,” Suits said.
SGA is accepting applications from anyone interested in becoming a senator. Openings are available.

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