Governor Brian Kemp announced Thursday that while he will lift a statewide shelter-in-place order for many Georgians, he is extending the sheltering until June 12 for the elderly and medically frail and is extending his State of Emergency Order until the same June date. On the same day of the Governor’s announcement, Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) announced that House members will return to the Capitol in mid-May to begin in-person committee meetings.
Ralston sent a memo Thursday stating, “We suspended our 2020 legislative session after the 29th legislative day on Friday, March 13, in light of the coronavirus pandemic. While we continue to deal with the virus and resulting public health needs, we have turned our attention to resuming our legislative session as we still have several pressing public policy issues and, most importantly, a revised FY21 state budget on which to work.”
Ralston said he is instructing committee chairmen to begin holding virtual committee meetings via online meeting platforms beginning on Monday, May 4. The Speaker said he is moving toward having the House staff transition back to working in the Capitol on Monday, May 18 with the resumption of in-person committee meetings at the Capitol on Tuesday, May 19. Those meetings will be subject to the provisions of any applicable public health directives,” he said.
It still has not been determined when lawmakers will resume the legislative session. Ralston wants to resume the session on June 11, but Senate leaders are pushing for a May 14 return.
“Given the choice of resuming the session in May or June, I certainly agree that the June date for reconvening the legislature is more appropriate than May given the Department of Public Health Guidelines,” said Rep. Bob Trammell (D-Luthersville), the House Minority Leader. “There has been some discussion around holding committee meetings virtually starting in early May, and then shifting to in-person meetings in mid-May. I personally think all committee meetings should be held virtually throughout the entire month of May.”
The Senate is pushing for a May return for the Legislature.
“We have to approve a budget for the new fiscal year which begins July 1,” said Senate Majority Leader Mike Dugan (R-Carrollton). “If we don’t return until June 11, we are faced with approving a budget and getting it back to the state departments and agencies in a very short time.
Every state entity bases their budget on the state dollars they receive. If the fiscal year begins July 1, we aren’t giving these department heads much time to get their budgets together by the first day of July.”
While Kemp’s new Executive Order lifted the current Shelter in Place for many, it requires the elderly (defined as 65 and older) and “medically fragile” residents to shelter in place until June 12, and calls for businesses to follow a host of existing requirements — including operating with strict social distancing and sanitation rules to keep customers and employees safe. This date would encompass the state’s new primary election date of June 9.
As part of the order, Kemp also ordered long-term care facilities – including nursing homes, personal care homes, assisted living facilities, and similar community living homes – to utilize enhanced infection control protocols, ensure safer living conditions, and protect residents and staff from coronavirus exposure.
