The next Third House session will be a little different as the location will change inside Columbus City Hall.
For Monday’s third installment of the event, a free forum where Columbus residents may meet with state legislators to talk about pending legislation, the gathering is being moved to the Columbus City Council chambers on the second floor.
Third House is from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. and is normally held in the much-larger Cal Brand meeting room, but that room has been reserved for another meeting on Monday.
It might be a little bit of a tight squeeze depending on turnout, as the first Third House session in January attracted 130 people and February’s had 90, said Cindy Frey, president of the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce, which sponsors Third House.
However, Monday is the first day back for many local residents who have spent the last week on spring break, and chamber officials are optimistic that most, if not all those attending, will fit in the council chambers.
City officials said they are moving as many chairs as possible to the council chambers and hope to get to at least 50 people inside the room.
If attendance exceeds capacity, two overflow rooms have been set up in Columbus City Hall to view the session through live-streaming from the council chambers. Overflow rooms are Conference Room 3, on the second floor and Conference Room 4 on the ground floor, first door on the left.
In the first two Third House sessions, legislators who have attended include Sen. Greg Walker, R-Columbus, State Rep. Ryan Lauer, R-Columbus, Rep. Jim Lucas, R-Seymour, Sen. Eric Koch, R-Bedford and Rep. Sean Eberhart, R-Shelbyville.
Eberhart represents the northeastern section of Bartholomew County, while many of Lucas’ constituents are in the county’s southwest neighborhoods. Koch mainly represents Lawrence and Jackson counties, but the 44th District he represents also includes areas of Bartholomew, Brown and Monroe counties.
This year’s Third House is using a new format, conducting sessions on the fourth Monday of each month in Columbus during the legislative session.
This year’s legislative session in Indianapolis is scheduled to adjourn April 29.
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What: Third House
When: 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Monday
Where: Columbus City Hall council chambers, with overflow viewing in Conference Room 3, on the second floor and Conference Room 4 on the ground floor, first door on the left.
How much: Free and open to the public
For more information: columbusareachamber.com
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