BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - Interim committee meetings for North Dakota lawmakers have been cancelled at least through next week after a member of the Legislature’s research arm tested positive for the coronavirus.
John Bjornson, who heads the Legislative Council, said the staff member told him late Sunday night. Bjornson said he notified legislative leaders early Monday, who gave the OK to cancel the meetings as a precaution.
Bjornson said the staff member is asymptomatic and was working from home on Monday.
Five interim committee meetings had been scheduled for this week, and at least two next week. All will be rescheduled, Bjornson said.
Bjornson, the Legislature’s top attorney, said he has encouraged all 32 of his staff to get tested for the coronavirus.
The nonpartisan agency includes accountants and attorneys who help lawmakers with research, bill drafting and budget proposals.
The staff member is not believed to have had close contact with any lawmaker over the past several days and came within reach of only a “handful” of fellow agency employees, Bjornson said.
The Legislative Council cautioned lawmakers in May that it may be impossible to safely convene the legislative session in January at the state Capitol in Bismarck because of the pandemic.
Legislative leaders continued to hold out hope that lawmakers still could convene in person.
“We’re looking at all types of options to hold the session, including ways to provide social distancing,” Bjornson said. “We’ll have some challenges and this is an example of the things we will have to face along the way.”
North Dakota is using $750,000 of federal coronavirus aid to livestream legislative committee hearings at the Capitol to help ensure remote participation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have the capability to go fully remote with interim committee meetings now but we just haven’t done it yet,” Bjornson said.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.