LEGISLATIVE CHAMBERS

In January of 1986 the Senate and Assembly relocated to temporary chambers while their original chambers undergo historic restoration scheduled for completion in January, 1992.

The legislative chambers house one of the oldest parliamentary bodies in the Nation--more than 200 years old--older than the Congress of the United States.

The Senate Chambers, located in the western section of the State House, were built in 1904.

On the wall behind the Senate President's chair are duplicate bill boards on which is posted the day's calendar--the numbers of the bills to be considered. To the right and left of the President's chair are duplicate electronic boards on which the number of the measure under consideration is posted and on which the members' votes are recorded--green for "YEA" and red for "NAY'-and automatically tabulated. Each Senator casts his vote by operating a switch on his desk, pushing it left for "YEA" and right for "NAY". A control board is situated on the President's desk.

The seats on the right, facing the President's chair, are occupied by the members of the majority party; those on the left, by the minority party members and the remainder of the majority. The majority leader and the minority leader occupy aisle seats. The Secretary of the Senate and his assistants occupy the desks immediately before the President's desk.

The General Assembly Chambers, located in the eastern section of the rear of the State House, were constructed in 1891.

On the wall behind the Speaker's rostrum are duplicate bill boards upon which are posted the numbers of the bills to be considered on third and final reading. On the same wall are duplicate electronic boards on which the members' votes are recorded, in the same manner as in the Senate Votes are cast by each Assemblyman and recorded in the same manner as in the Senate.

The seats located on the right, facing the Speakers' rostrum, are occupied by the majority party members; the ones on the left, by the minority party members and the remainder of the majority members. The majority and the minority leaders occupy center aisle seats. The desk immediately in front of the Speaker's rostrum is occupied by the clerk and his assistants.