State House Health and Safety Ruels

Masks required, COVID-19 testing encouraged to visit Texas House of Representatives 

By ALLEN JONES/TEXPERS Communications Manager

By the time the 87th Legislative session begins in Texas next month, the state capital could be at its highest novel coronavirus risk level based on the growing number of cases and hospitalizations in the area. The continuing pandemic has already resulted in new health and safety rules for the State House of Representatives.

Recently adopted health and safety rules seek to reduce the chances of spreading the virus that causes COVID-19 at the state Capitol may make it difficult to attend the Texas House's opening ceremony of the 87th Legislature at noon on Jan. 12. TEXPERS members might instead opt to watch a livestream of the program.

House Administration Committee Chair Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth, issued a memo on Dec. 14 to all members of the State House of Representatives outlining the health and safety measures that will be in place for the first day of the legislative session.

"The duration of the ceremony will be shortened, and there will be a significant reduction in the number of people admitted to the House floor and gallery," says Geren in the memo. "Additional details regarding ticketing, testing, seating, media access, and other logistics are forthcoming."

The opening ceremony usually includes a roll call in district number order and an official oath for all House members-elect by the chamber's chief clerk. Geren's memo outlines several protocols, including chamber access restrictions, sanitation, and testing requirements recently established as necessary to ensure the health and safety of the chamber's members, guests, staff, news media, and the public.

Discussions regarding the health and safety procedures started before the Nov. 3 election, says State Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, vice-chair of the House Administration Committee, in a CBS Austin interview. The representative says legislators want to keep everyone who visits the Capitol safe, especially during a virus surge in Austin.

"We're at a challenging time in terms of the COVID-19 spread here in Austin, which is the seat of the state Capitol," Howard says in the CBS Austin interview. "Of course, we've been hearing from the local Austin health authority Dr. Mark Escott that we anticipate as soon as even next week, having to go into the highest level of risk that is going to be based on the cases and hospitalizations occurring in our region."

Crews will use ultraviolet disinfecting units on the House floor and in the chamber's gallery and install hand sanitation stations outside all doors to the House floor, the gallery, and the chamber members' desks. Air purification units are already in the Capitol building's HVAC system above the House floor and gallery. According to the memo, the devices effectively kill the virus that causes COVID-19 in the air and on surfaces. Also, the chamber is spacing out the chairs of the representatives as a social distancing measure.

House members, guests, and staff are asked to self-screen for virus symptoms before coming to the Capitol. Those entering the building might have their temperatures taken. Everyone must wear face masks to enter the House floor or gallery. The memo does not indicate how Capitol staff will handle those who refuse to wear face coverings.

The newly adopted House health and safety rules also restrict access to the chamber to members, temporary officers, essential staff, ceremony participants, and approved guests. Visitors to the Capitol, news media and additional approved guests are only permitted to sit in the House gallery. The Capitol is encouraging visitors to use the stairs to access the chamber to avoid crowded elevators.

"Members-elect will be seated at their desks," according to Geren's memo. "Each member-elect will be provided two guest seats, either outside the brass rail on the House floor, as space allows, or in the gallery. All guest seating will be assigned, reserved, and ticketed."

In his memo, Geren notes that the House will not provide overflow seating outside the chamber floor and gallery. He encourages members-elect to host livestreams of the ceremony in their offices for immediate family members who will not have assigned seats on the floor or in the gallery.

TEXPERS trustees and administrators interested in viewing the ceremony can watch the livestream here. The link is being made available to all members of the public.

The Senate has yet to release its health and safety guidelines. Still, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the Republican leader of the Senate, has suggested people testifying on legislation before a committee may need to register days prior and take a COVID-19 test before the hearing. Conversations continue, according to a report by the Texas Tribune.

Some reports indicate the Senate could enact similar health and safety rules recently announced for the House, such as restrictions on the number of guests each senator may bring to the chamber.

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Allen Jones is the Communications and Public Relations Manager at the Texas Association of Public Employee Retirement Systems. He has been with the association since January 2017. He can be reached at allen@texpers.org.