House Democrats fight to meet safely and virtually
COVID-19 Phase 3 guidelines include encouraging telework limiting in-person work gatherings, and keeping any such meetings as short as possible.
To best comply, Majority Leader Herring (HD-46) introduced a resolution to amend the House rules to direct that the session be held virtually.
It required a 2/3 vote for the House to consider the resolution immediately on the floor, and the motion to do so failed on a party-line vote.
As a result, the resolution has to “lie upon the Speaker’s table for five days and be read by the House” after which it can be considered and approved by a simple majority.
The fifth day will be Monday, so the House should be able to get going hearing bills in committee shortly thereafter.
Senate Democrats move quickly on police and criminal justice reform
The Senate rejected a joint resolution proposed by the House to limit each legislator to three bills and to limit the scope of bills to police and criminal justice reform, budget, and COVID-19 related impacts.
GOP Senator Amanda Chase, who has been running around the Commonwealth attending events with no social distancing or masks, requested a plexiglass box to attend session in, claiming she has a medical reason not to wear a mask.
