House, Senate leaders abandon all COVID-19 precautions for 2022 session

Indiana House and Senate leaders don’t appear to have many plans in place if there are significant COVID-19 outbreaks this session.

Last year, the House moved its entire chamber to a different government building, in order to spread out more. Many Senate committee hearings were changed to keep people testifying in separate rooms from lawmakers. Plexiglass dividers went up on both chamber floors.

This session – amid a worse surge of the virus than at any time in 2021 – none of those precautions are in place.

House Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers) said it’s now about personal responsibility.

“People should take the precautions they need, that they feel are necessary for them,” Huston said.

If there is an outbreak of the virus among lawmakers or staff, Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray (R-Martinsville) said they’ll deal with it as it comes.

“I don’t know that we have a specific contingency plan that we’ll employ but we’ll try to address it as best as we can when it presents itself,” Bray said.

The session is set to end in March.

Contact reporter Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.

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