Lawmakers are preparing for the upcoming session of the General Assembly. And it probably won't be quite as long as the special session that just wrapped up.
Earlier this year, when lawmakers were preparing for a special session on coronavirus and criminal justice reform, the House of Delegates decided to meet virtually. Now House Democrats have decided the upcoming regular session of the General Assembly will also be virtual.
The Senate, on the other hand, has been meeting in person. And Senate Republican Caucus Chairman Ryan McDougle says the House’s pilot project with electronic meetings was not a success. "I've heard from a myriad of complaints from constituents that I have that they can't access those sessions easily, that their ability to have comments in those sessions is greatly reduced and our interaction with members to be able to talk about some of the impacts and nuances of legislation is certainly greatly reduced when we cannot do it in person."
So the Senate will be meeting in person and the House will be online. But how long will the session last? Democrats were planning for a 45-day session, but Republicans say they'll oppose any effort to extend the session beyond constitutionally-mandated 30 days, which would require a supermajority vote. House
House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn says Republicans are playing politics. "It's extremely disappointing that the Republicans would use this moment, a time when we should be helping Virginians through this global pandemic to exercise their limited power to cut the planned 45 day legislative session short. It's quite clear that they continue to prioritize politics over everything else." Filler-Corn says she will do whatever is necessary to complete the people's business.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
