New Jersey legislators on Wednesday will hold a vote by conference call, the first remote vote in the assembly’s history, amid widespread social distancing in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
A spokesperson for Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin told Politico that the General Assembly will vote on several bills dealing with the COVID-19 epidemic, and that this will be the first time that the chamber, which has 80 members, will not physically gather when holding a vote. Last week, both chambers in the state legislature voted to pass a bill allowing it and other public bodies to vote remotely during a state of emergency.
Gov. Phil Murphy signed the bill allowing remote voting for legislators last Friday, along with bills that allow him to issue executive orders that bar evictions during a public health emergency, allow New Jersey medical professions to use telehealth services, and speed up certain licensing procedures during a public health crisis, according to the New Jersey Globe.
The legislators will vote on five bills Wednesday, including one to allow notaries to work remotely, and another that ensures temporary disability insurance coverage and paid family leave for those with communicable diseases that could infect others.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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