67th Legislative Session begins during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The 67th Legislative Session began today. This Legislative Session will look and feel different from previous sessions; however, the capitol was filled energy and excitement as the legislators settled in to do their work today. Here are just a few differences you'll see this session.

Remote Participation
This is the first year that individuals will have the opportunity to provide testimony remotely during the Legislative Session. Legislative Council has put together a video demonstrating the processing for submitting written testimony which is available here.  

In-Person Participation

Visitors are still allowed to attend legislative committee hearings in person. The newly remodeled south entrance is the only public entrance to the Capitol. Upon entering the Capitol, in addition to the metal detector screening, everyone needs to complete a COVID screening wrist temperature check and answer a few questions on a machine like this:






Many of the legislative committees have been moved to larger rooms. If you've previously testified at the Capitol, make sure you are double checking which committee room your bill is being heard in. Also, you may want to get to the committee hearing room early. The committee rooms have been set up for social distancing and each committee room only has 15 chairs and it will be up to the committee chair on whether additional members of the public may stand in back.






Action this Week
Legislative committees start their bill hearings tomorrow. Check on the League's Legislative page for the NDLC tracking list and hearing schedule for this week.

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