ATLANTA – The Georgia House of Representatives is taking note of coronavirus.
House Speaker David Ralston announced Tuesday that the chamber will limit who can be on the House floor starting Thursday, the next day the General Assembly is in session.
Until further notice, there will be no House pages, the school-age young people who carry messages back and forth to lawmakers. Also, the House will not bring guests to the floor for “invite resolutions,” which honor Georgians from around the state for accomplishments from high school sports champions to beauty pageant winners.
“Out of an abundance of caution … the floor of the House will be limited to members, authorized staff and the media subject to the House rules,” said Ralston, R-Blue Ridge.
The speaker said the visitors gallery above the House floor will remain open to the public. But he urged those who want to follow the progress of the House to do so online.
“We’re not trying to be alarmist,” Ralston said. “We’re trying to be cautious and protect the people who need to be here so we can continue our work.”
The Georgia Senate is taking a different approach. Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, who presides over the upper legislative chamber, announced Tuesday the Senate will remain open for public access while monitoring the situation.
“We are in Phase 1 of this virus,” Duncan wrote in a letter to the senators and their staffs. “At this stage, we should be using good common sense to protect ourselves, the staff and visitors to the Capitol.”
Duncan reiterated the precautions against coronavirus that are being echoed around the world, including frequent handwashing, staying home when sick and avoiding handshakes.
“This is an evolving situation, and the [Georgia Department of Public Health] and the governor’s task force [on COVID-19] are working hard to stay ahead of it,” Duncan wrote.
The General Assembly will be back under the Gold Dome on Thursday for the typically lengthy annual Crossover Day, the deadline for bills to make it through at least one legislative chamber in order to remain alive for the current session.