The SGA Senate’s meeting Thursday featured a plethora of legislation, including Act 12, which moves to establish environmental cross-branch action. The resolution would help to facilitate conversation between the legislative body of SGA and the environmental affairs cabinet in order to provide constituents with environmentally based legislation.  

The resolution was authored by Senator Lauren Griffith, a junior political science major, and was sent to the Student Affairs Committee after brief discussion.  

Griffith said that the act aims to create environmentally driven legislation.  

“We hope that this will allow us to better serve UA and the community,” Griffith said. “[We hope to] represent our constituents seeking more environmental programming on campus.”

During the meeting, Speaker of the Senate Matthew Childress, announced that the first Senate meet and greet event will be held from 1-3p.m. on  Friday, Nov. 10, with another meet and greet scheduled for the following Friday, November 17 from 1-3 p.m.  

Bill 05 was also discussed during the meeting. This would allow senators to have up to four assistants. The bill was passed after brief discussion.

In new business, Resolution 11 was motioned to be moved to the front of docket before being discussed and ultimately passed.  The resolution encourages the addition of more resources on the back of Action Cards.  One such addition could be the phone number of the UA Counseling Center being added before the reveal of the card in January.

Additionally, Act 11 approving organization funding requests suggested by the Financial Affairs Committee was passed. Vice President of the Financial Affairs Committee Charlie Steinmetz announced that during the November 6 meeting, 27 out of 37 organizations received funding.  Subsequently, 80.18% of requests made to the committee were granted according to Steinmetz. 

Next, Act 13, the Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner (SAFE) Act of 2017, was sent to the Finance Committee after brief discussion.  The Act would allow the Senate to make a $250 contribution towards the Tuscaloosa community SAFE program in addition to allowing the senate to form an SGA powder puff team to support the program.  

The final piece of legislation discussed was Resolution 10 as noted on the docket.  The resolution, which congratulates the creation of the R.E.S.P.E.C.T. fund was motioned to be sent to Student Affairs Committee.

Order of Events:  

1. Announcements made regarding Senate meet and greet sessions on Nov. 10 and 17 and an SGA blood drive to be held in conjunction with the American Red Cross during January and February 
2. Bill B-05, allowing senators to hold assistants, was reintroduced and was subsequently passed
3. After a motion was made to move the resolution to the top of the docket, Resolution R-11 encouraging the action card office to update its emergency resources was passed
4. Act A-11 approving the organizational funding requests suggested by the financial affairs committee for the month of November 201 and for other purposes was passed
5. Act A-12 establishing environmental cross-branch action was sent to the Student Affairs Committee
6. Act A-13, the Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner (SAFE) Act  of 2017 was sent to the Finance Committee 
7. Bill B-06, a bill to get senators out of suits was sent to the Rules Committee
8. Resolution R-10 congratulating the creation of the R.E.S.P.E.C.T. fund was motioned to be sent to the Student Affairs Committee