South Dakota legislative leaders are proposing COVID-19 safety protocols to protect those working and attending the upcoming legislative session.
Senator Lee Schoenbeck, President-Elect Pro Tempore, says while it is important legislators fulfill their duties, this year’s priority is that they do so safely. He says they plan to do what they can to mitigate the spread, but legislative business has to go on.
House Speaker-Elect Representative Spencer Gosch says like everything else during a pandemic, it’s a delicate balance between doing what needs to be done and finding a way to do it safely. He says even in a pandemic, government still needs to act.
Those protocols include:
- Allowing legislators to attend and vote remotely under certain circumstances and with leadership approval;
- Requiring face coverings for all individuals in spaces under the jurisdiction of the South Dakota Senate;
- Encouraging face coverings for all spaces under the jurisdiction of the South Dakota House of Representatives;
- Limiting seating in the Senate and House galleries;
- Providing personal protective equipment for members and staff;
- Encouraging remote testifying during legislative committee meetings; and
- Promoting the use of digital documents.
Both the South Dakota House of Representatives and the Senate are scheduled to convene at noon (CT) January 12, 2021.
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