After meeting for five hours Tuesday night, student senators will have some unfinished business to attend to after the Thanksgiving holiday.
The legislation that sparked lengthy public debate at this week's meeting and would increase the amount of votes needed to add new nominations for open Senate seats will likely be voted on Dec. 2., Senate President Jordan Johnson said.
Currently, support from 20 percent of senators present is required to add nominations from the floor in addition to recommendations already made by Senate's Replacement and Agenda Committee. The approval of this legislation would change the requirement to 40 percent of the Senate.
"We want to make sure that enough of a minority in Senate is in favor of opening up the floor for nominations on committee recommendations," Johnson said.
The Orange and Blue Party, which has 18 members, controls about 19 percent of Senate's votes.
Orange and Blue Party senators, four of whom represent the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, felt passing these bills would diminish their voice in Senate and the voice of their constituents.
Johnson said if an issue carries enough importance, a minority of 40 percent would jump on board.
Some members of the Gator Party used their votes to help reject a measure at Tuesday's meeting that would have stripped senators of their ability to call a special meeting, such as the one called to pass a resolution in opposition to Amendment 2 on Oct. 30.
The legislation would have placed that power in the hands of the Senate and Student Body presidents.
Senators voted down legislation that would have made using hand scanners at UF gyms optional.
Orange and Blue Party leader Sen. Ben Cavataro, who wrote the legislation, said 84 percent of the roughly 10,000 students who participated in Student Government fall elections voted against requiring hand scanners to enter the recreational facilities. He said use of the scanners to enter on-campus gyms should be optional and proposed no money be given to any facility that requires a biometric system as the only means for entry.
"There's no reason why we should require something that most people don't want," Cavataro said in an interview.
Some senators said more research was needed before passing the legislation and said it would put a strain on SG's relationship with Southwest Recreation Center.
Despite divisions in Senate chambers, senators plan to work together Friday when they volunteer at a local school.
Senators will work with second graders at Marjorie K. Rawlings Elementary School on a Thanksgiving-themed project, Johnson said.
