(RALEIGH) -- Democratic Lieutenant Governor Walter Dalton is accusing Senate Republicans of playing partisan politics with the chamber’s soon-to-be adopted rules.  Republican Senator Tom Apodaca said the rules will establish a new position that will have the final say on questions of parliamentary procedure.

This responsibility has traditionally fallen on the Lieutenant Governor.  Dalton said he has already voiced his concerns to GOP leaders.  "That is nothing but a partisan power play.  That's all it can be called and it is certainly not to my liking, but I've learned to count fairly early in live and they have 31 votes, so they're going to be able to control what the rules are," said Dalton.

As state lawmakers convene on Wedesday, Republicans have a majority in the Senate for the first time in more than a century.