{"id":53727,"date":"2020-05-26T21:45:53","date_gmt":"2020-05-27T03:45:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/colorado-legislatures-return-its-an-11-on-the-weird-scale\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T04:05:44","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T10:05:44","slug":"colorado-legislatures-return-its-an-11-on-the-weird-scale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/colorado-legislatures-return-its-an-11-on-the-weird-scale\/","title":{"rendered":"Colorado legislature\u2019s return: \u2018It\u2019s an 11 on the weird scale\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"Lawmakers
Lawmakers packed into the House floor with clear dividers between desks for the restart of the legislative session on Tuesday.<\/span>Jesse Paul\/The Colorado Sun<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

The hallways were mostly empty. The lawmakers were mostly masked. The interactions were mostly awkward.<\/p>\n

The General Assembly\u2019s return<\/a> to the state Capitol after a two-month coronavirus pause looked anything but normal. Members of the House sat at desks divided by plexiglass or in the gallery above the chamber shouting down their votes on legislation. In the Senate, some legislators were forced to balance computers on their laps as they worked in areas of the chamber\u2019s floor typically designated for seating visitors.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an 11 on the weird scale,\u201d said Senate Majority Leader Steve Fenberg, a Boulder Democrat.<\/p>\n

The differences began from the moment visitors entered the gold-domed building, in part because of a last-minute decision by Democratic leaders to put in place mandatory public health protocols.<\/p>\n

At the door, visitors had their temperature checked with a contactless thermometer, and volunteers with a global public health organization asked screening questions about potential symptoms. \u201cDo you have a new or worsening cough today? Do you have shortness of breath or difficulty breathing? Do you have a sore throat or other flu-like symptoms?\u201d people entering the building are asked.<\/p>\n

The temperatures were written down in a log along with the time of day they are taken. Anyone granted entry was given a red band to wear around their wrist. Red tape and signs direct people on which direction to walk, where to sit and which staircases to take in the narrow corridors.<\/p>\n

\"People
People entering the Colorado Capitol on Tuesday, had their temperatures checked.<\/span>Jesse Paul\/The Colorado Sun<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

The public is required to wear masks \u2013 but it remains optional for lawmakers \u2013 as part of the new rules issued less than 24 hours before session restarted. The move reversed an earlier decision from Democratic leaders to issue only informal guidance requesting that people wear masks.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe General Assembly<\/a>, acting with newly received legal guidance, will follow the recommendations of medical experts as we responsibly return to work in the Capitol,\u201d House Majority Leader Alec Garnett, D-Denver, said in a statement.<\/p>\n

Masks showcased a partisan divide in the Capitol. All Democratic lawmakers wore masks, but many Republicans did not.<\/p>\n

State Sen. Vicki Marble, R-Fort Collins, said she didn\u2019t wear a face covering because it inhibits her breathing and she has allergies. She also questioned their efficacy, even though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend them.<\/p>\n

A lot to do, and little time<\/div>\n

Colorado lawmakers are expected to remain in session only for three weeks, even though a recent court ruling allows them to continue for longer. The legislature paused its session just past the halfway point March 14 as coronavirus began to spread.<\/p>\n

The pandemic scrambled the legislative agenda, scuttling hundreds of bills and leading lawmakers to introduce new ones. Democratic leaders said the focus now is stronger workplace safety requirements, helping families make ends meet and protecting vulnerable communities from the economic and health dangers of the coronavirus.<\/p>\n

The goal is to get out as soon as possible. \u201cWe want to act quickly to minimize our time in the legislature,\u201d said House Speaker KC Becker, a Boulder Democrat.<\/p>\n

In the House, lawmakers\u2019 tightly packed desks are now separated by clear plastic partitions. Nine lawmakers sat in the gallery above the chamber floor at makeshift desks with room for a laptop and bill folders. Other lawmakers did not attend because of health conditions or concerns about COVID-19.<\/p>\n

One of the lawmakers in the gallery Rep. Hugh McKean, R-Loveland, shouted down his vote on a bill to add requirements on new homebuilders rather than press a green (yes) or red (no) button on his desk. \u201cI actually think it\u2019s fun to voice vote at the end, because it\u2019s not a green or red name on a screen. I voted \u2018heck no\u2019 on a bill I didn\u2019t really like.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Three
Three lawmakers, including Rep. Hugh McKean, center, watch House floor proceedings from their new desks in the gallery on Tuesday.<\/span>Jesse Paul\/The Colorado Sun<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Other elements of the lawmaking appeared normal as lawmakers went from desk to desk talking to colleagues and stood together at the front of the chamber to present their bills, in both cases ignoring guidance to stay six feet apart.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a degree to which we are all going to live in whatever degree of risk that we have to,\u201d said McKean, who served on a committee that drafted safety protocols. \u201cI don\u2019t know that we are going to get past that.\u201d<\/div>\n

Most lobbyists stay away<\/p>\n

In the Senate, lawmakers were moved onto the cushioned seats lining the chamber walls to make more space. They were forced to balance their computers and papers on their laps as they worked. Staffers were spread out, too, including onto a table that\u2019s normally reserved for reporters.<\/p>\n

There weren\u2019t clear partitions between desks in the Senate. Lawmakers were seated with a vacant desk between them.<\/p>\n

Sen. Kerry Donovan, a Vail Democrat, said some routines made things feel normal, such as the prayer before the Senate convenes, roll call for attendance and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt least today there seemed to be a spirit of \u2018we\u2019re all in this together,\u2019\u201d she said, though she expressed concern that the mood could change.<\/p>\n

Sen. Paul Lundeen, a Colorado Springs Republican clad in an American flag face covering, said he doesn\u2019t think his health is at risk. \u201cI\u2019m not worried at all,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"A
A committee room at the Colorado Capitol with chairs spaced apart for social distancing on Tuesday.<\/span>Jesse Paul\/The Colorado Sun<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

But Lundeen said he recognizes that others may not feel the same.<\/p>\n

Outside the chambers, the building was not its bustling self. Many lobbyists were opting to stay away. The small rooms off the House and Senate floors, where notes are often passed to lawmakers, are closed.<\/p>\n

At least one lobbying firm has instructed its staff to stay away. \u201cIt\u2019s incredibly weird to be a lobbyist who isn\u2019t in the lobby,\u201d said Becky Long, who works on environmental issues.<\/p>\n

She\u2019s keeping tabs on the legislature from her office across the street. \u201cWe are encouraging our clients and our team to work remotely,\u201d Long said. \u201cWe don\u2019t feel like we can ensure a safe environment for everyone,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd given that the lobby is closed and legislators won\u2019t be taking cards, there\u2019s really not much reason to be in the building for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Colorado Sun is a reader-supported, journalist-owned news outlet exploring issues of statewide interest. Sign up for a newsletter and read more at coloradosun.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

safety protocols reshape lawmaking<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":53728,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[394,233,28,29],"naviga_topic":[],"class_list":["post-53727","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-colorado-legislature","tag-coloradosun-com","tag-headlines","tag-newsletter"],"acf":[],"author_name":"dh_admin","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53727","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=53727"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53727\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":88353,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53727\/revisions\/88353"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/53728"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53727"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=53727"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=53727"},{"taxonomy":"naviga_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/naviga_topic?post=53727"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}