RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The coronavirus upended a Virginia legislative session Wednesday as lawmakers in surgical masks met in unprecedented circumstances and voted to delay some long-sought Democratic priorities amid uncertainty about the pandemic’s impact on the economy.
The one-day session was unlike any in Virginia’s more than 400-year history. House Delegates spread out at individual tables under tents on the Capitol lawn while the Senate convened at a giant event space at the Science Museum of Virginia a few miles away. Lawmakers ditched their germ-carrying ties and wore masks and bandannas.
Proceedings in the House quickly stalled when members encountered technical issues with their voting machines that lasted about 40 minutes. Horns blared from the cars of protesters who gathered nearby, unhappy with mandated business closings.
About three hours into the House session, Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn appeared to collapse and was attended to by medics and a fellow delegate who is a nurse practitioner. An aide said she hadn’t eaten lunch, became dizzy and was uninjured in the fall. She resumed her role presiding over the chamber about an hour later.
In the makeshift Senate chamber, one lawmaker with health issues was surrounded by plexiglass for added protection from the virus.
Before the legislature convened, protesters on foot and in vehicles converged outside the Capitol.
Drivers leaned on their horns and shouted in the direction of the Capitol and governor’s mansion. Many of the cars were flying American flags, “Don’t Tread on Me” flags, or President Donald Trump campaign flags and had signs affixed to their windows protesting Gov. Ralph Northam’s executive orders implementing business closures and social distancing measures. Some of the same vehicles circled repeatedly, and they mixed in with normal traffic like city buses.
Lawmakers were reconvening to take up Northam’s proposed changes to legislation passed earlier this year. Northam proposed plans to delay some of the session’s biggest wins for Democrats until more is known about the pandemic’s effect on the economy, pushing back decisions on whether to give teachers and state workers raises, freeze in-state college tuition, and implement other new spending in the recently passed budget.
Both the House and Senate narrowly voted to uphold a proposed change to legislation that would raise the state’s minimum wage from $7.25 to $9.50. Northam wants the wage increase to kick in May 1, 2021, instead of in January 2021. Future minimum wage increases included in the bill — it would increase to $15 by 2026 — are not be affected.
Senate Republicans tried to reject the amendment so Northam could have another chance to consider vetoing the bill entirely.
“Instead of being sympathetic to these businesses at their worst time, we’re tightening the screws,” said Republican Sen. Bill DeSteph.
Democratic Sen. Janet Howell also voted to reject the proposed amendment, saying low-wage workers are “the very people who are keeping us going” during the pandemic. She said those workers should not have to wait any longer than necessary for a raise.
The din of horns from the protest was audible in the House meeting spot and died down about three hours after the demonstration began.
Northam’s spokeswoman, Alena Yarmosky, said the governor is eager to ease restrictions as soon as it is possible to do so safely.
“As is clear from our case counts and the President’s own guidelines, we are not there yet. The Governor is grateful to the millions of Virginians who are doing the right thing and protecting the health of themselves, their families, and their communities,” she said in a statement.
Northam also changed legislation to speed up certain measures due to the virus. He moved up the implementation of a new law meant to protect borrowers of short-term, high-interest loans and another that would make about 300 inmates immediately eligible to apply for parole.
At the start of the House session, Democrats proposed a rules change that would have allowed members to participate remotely. Republicans objected, and the measure failed.
“While I am disappointed the minority party blocked the House from taking this public safety and health precaution, I am confident we will soon make this important change to allow for remote participation in the future,” Filler-Corn said in a statement.
