David Long & Hiring Freezes

Jim Shella:

State Senate President Pro Tem David Long (R-Fort Wayne) issued a news release today citing steps being taken to cut spending in line with the governor’s cuts announced today. As one of those measures the Senate will ”continue its current hiring freeze.”

Long issued one other news release today. It announces the hiring of Adam Harrison as a GOP Senate Policy Analyst. Is there a disconnect here?

The news releases are available here and here.

The latter also notes, "The Senate will continue its current hiring freeze." I'm not sure how that "current hiring freeze" squares with hiring someone, even if the hire took place before the Governor enacted a hiring freeze.

I'm wondering what the explanation of this was; Shella doesn't say.

David Long might consider filling a vacancy in an existing position to be outside of a hiring freeze. It's not clear and I'm not sure.