BOSTON – Aside from the senators running the sessions, the Senate Chamber will be mostly empty for this week’s budget debate as Senate President Karen Spilka has imposed new restrictions meant to protect members of the Senate from COVID-19.
At least three House lawmakers and three legislative employees have recently tested positive for COVID-19, diagnoses that were made public as the House wrapped up its own budget debate last week.
In an email to senators at 5 p.m. Monday, Spilka said a senator who was last at the State House in early October has tested positive for the virus and will participate in the budget sessions remotely this week.
“Our top priority is the safety of the Members and staff and therefore we are taking all actions within our power to protect all of you. Members are strongly encouraged to participate remotely this week. I urge members to require their staff to work remotely,” Spilka wrote.
Senate leadership has “reduced to the absolute minimum the number of people necessary to carry-out session” and those senators and staff members — at a bare minimum, each session typically includes a Democrat to preside, a Republican member, the Senate clerk, an assistant clerk and court officers — will be tested for COVID-19 and will be required to fill out a form attesting that they have no coronavirus symptoms and have not been in contact with anyone who is COVID-positive.
The Senate president said other senators will only be allowed into the chamber “to deliver imminent remarks and will be asked to leave the chamber upon the conclusion of remarks” and must also fill out the attestation form.
The Senate Reading Room, a space often used for informal meetings and conversations among senators and staff, will be closed and other furniture around the Senate Chamber will be removed to facilitate social distancing, the president said.
The State House has been closed to the public since March.
![BOSTON — As tensions simmer around college campus protests and university responses, Gov. Maura Healey gave a mostly muted response Tuesday to the proliferation of pro-Palestinian encampments, saying “there has to be” space for both protest and Jewish student safety alike. Colleges around the country are grappling with how to respond to student demonstrations against […]](https://www.lowellsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/SEN-Z-campus-0426.jpg?w=525 "BOSTON — As tensions simmer around college campus protests and university responses, Gov. Maura Healey gave a mostly muted response Tuesday to the proliferation of pro-Palestinian encampments, saying “there has to be” space for both protest and Jewish student safety alike. Colleges around the country are grappling with how to respond to student demonstrations against […]")