Press release from Senator Phil Berger and Speaker Tim Moore:
On April 28, the legislative session will formally reopen for business with appropriate measures in place to ensure health and safety.
In balancing the need to reopen the legislature with health and safety concerns, the General Assembly will limit access to the Legislative Building and the Legislative Office Building to members, staff, and credentialed media beginning April 20, 2020 and extending through May 8, 2020. Building entrants will also have their temperatures taken with a thermometer.
This policy is to balance the need for legislators to return to Raleigh to carry out their constitutional duties with the health and safety of members and the general public, as well as to limit the spread of COVID-19 while opening for business.
This policy has been discussed and developed in collaboration with the N.C. Capitol Press Corps and public access advocacy organizations.
Public input is a critical part of the legislative process, and the General Assembly encourages members of the public to continue to schedule times to meet with members electronically, and to continue to reach out to legislators’ offices via phone and email leading up to and after the start of session on April 28.
Each Chamber will send out further guidance on how they will conduct session and meetings of standing committees and other committees, and how the public can participate in that process remotely.
The business of the General Assembly is making laws and appropriating money. With approriate health and safety measures in effect, the legislature will carry on the people’s business and work in a collaborative manner to pass consensus COVID-19 legislation.
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