by Taylor Vance and Michael Goldberg, Mississippi Today

Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann on Wednesday morning collapsed while presiding over the state Senate chamber. He was later reported to be doing OK, but few details were provided.

A few minutes before 11 a.m. on Wednesday, as the Senate was about to take up its final appropriation bills for the day, Hosemann slumped over his podium and microphone, then fell to one side. The Legislature quickly removed a video recording of Senate proceedings that showed the incident.

Medical staff tended to him as he appeared to be conscious and was sitting upright shortly after he fell. Later, Hosemann was seen walking out of the Capitol flanked by staff and security and he got in a government vehicle, not one of two AMR ambulances that had been stationed outside.

Just before noon, a spokeswoman for Hosemann issued a brief statement that said: “Lieutenant Governor Hosemann is doing well and in good spirits. He appreciates all of the medical staff and is eager to return to work.”

Senate staff had quickly cleared the chamber of people other than Senators after he fell. The Senate remained in recess until 2 p.m. on Wednesday. Senate President Pro Tempore Dean Kirby presided over the chamber when it returned for the afternoon and met briefly, but no update on Hosemann was given from the well.

After the Senate adjourned, Kirby said, “Everything’s fine. I think he wanted to come back this afternoon, but I’ll bet he’s back in the morning.”

Prior to the incident, Hosemann had left the third-floor Senate chamber briefly to address a group of Mississippi Main Street Association representatives, then returned to the Senate chamber and his podium.

Senate Finance Chairman Josh Harkins, one of Hosemann’s top Senate lieutenants, on social media said Hosemann appeared to be doing well.

“I appreciate all of the calls and text messages concerning Lt Governor Hosemann,” Harkins posted. “As he walked out of the Capitol a little while ago, he looked at us and said, ‘Hey, that last bill was awful!’ He is doing well, and if I know him he will be trying to come back to the Capitol today.”

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.