Indiana Senate Rolling Back Some COVID-19 Precautions

The Indiana Senate is scaling back some of the COVID-19 precautions it implemented for this year’s legislative session.

Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray (R-Martinsville) said the improving COVID-19 numbers across the state prompted the change.

The Senate has staggered its staff throughout session – half at home, half in the office – to avoid losing lots of people to quarantine if an outbreak occurred. Now, all staff will work in-person the whole week.

And Bray said people wishing to testify in Senate committees will now do so in the same room as senators. Lawmakers and people testifying had been in separate rooms – connected via video stream – up to now.

“We’re not going to fill the room with people observing or in line or in the queue to testify," Bray said. "Just – person comes in, testifies, goes back out. They’ll be able to watch from the hallway, still.”

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Bray said if people are uncomfortable testifying in person, they can submit their testimony in writing.

House Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers) said his chamber doesn’t plan to change their COVID-19 precautions.

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