The trial of any civil action, or proceeding in a court, or of any administrative proceeding before a state board or commission or officer, irrespective of the date of the filing thereof or when it became at issue, or the hearing of any motion, demurrer, or other proceeding, shall be postponed to a date certain when it appears to the court, board, commission, or officer before which such action or proceeding is pending that either a party thereto, or any attorney of record therein (whether he became an attorney of record before or after the commencement of a legislative session or before or after his appointment to a legislative committee), or a principal witness, is a Member of the Legislature of this state and that the Legislature is in session or in recess (not exceeding a recess of forty (40) days) or that a legislative interim committee of which he is a duly appointed member is meeting, or is to meet within a period which the court finds does not exceed the time reasonably necessary to enable the member to reach the committee meeting by the ordinary mode of travel. When the Legislature is in session or in recess such action or proceeding shall not, without the consent of the attorney of record therein, be brought on for trial or hearing before the expiration of thirty (30) days next following final adjournment of the Legislature or the commencement of a recess of more than forty (40) days. If a date is available during recess, continuance shall be given if possible to such earlier date. When a legislative committee is meeting or is to meet within a period which the court finds does not exceed the time reasonably necessary to enable the member to reach the committee meeting by the ordinary mode of travel, such action or proceeding shall not, without the consent of the attorney of record therein, be brought on for trial or hearing before the expiration of such period necessary following the adjournment or recess of the committee meeting as the court finds is reasonably necessary to enable the member to reach the place of trial or hearing by the ordinary mode of travel from the place of the committee meeting, unless at the expiration of that period the Legislature is to be in session; and in that case the action or proceeding shall not, without such consent, be brought on for trial or hearing before the expiration of thirty (30) days next following final adjournment or the commencement of a recess of more than forty (40) days. If a date is available during the recess, continuance shall be given to such earlier date. However, any postponement granted under the provisions of this paragraph shall suspend for the same period of time as the postponement, the running of any period of time for any ruling or proceeding by a court, board, commission, or officer, or for the performance by any party of any act affected by said postponement.
Granting of a continuance pursuant to this section is mandatory unless the court determines that such continuance would defeat or abridge a right to relief pendente lite in a paternity action or a right to invoke a provisional remedy such as pendente lite support in a domestic relations controversy, attachment and sale of perishable goods, receivership of a failing business, and temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction, and that the continuance should not be granted.