DE Senate Working to Make Public Participation in Legislative Process Easier
January 13, 2023/
The Delaware State Senate is making it easier for Delawareans to take part in the legislative process. All formal legislative proceedings – from the legislative session to committee hearings will be held in a hybrid format that will allow for in-person or virtual participation.
Additional information from the Delaware Senate Majority Caucus:
Here’s what the public needs to know about how the Senate will conduct business during the 152nd General Assembly:
- As COVID and other respiratory illnesses remain a serious public health concern, it is important that anyone — legislators, staff, or members of the public — who are feeling sick, showing symptoms, or testing positive for COVID stay home. Mask wearing, while not required inside Legislative Hall, remains encouraged.
- Legislative proceedings will be held in-person but will continue to be broadcast online via the General Assembly website. This will enable the public to continue to view their government from the convenience and safety of their homes. Recordings will also be available online.
- Committee hearings will all be held in-person in either the Senate Chamber, the Senate Hearing Room, or the Joint Finance Committee Room. Each of these rooms will be set up to stream the meeting to Zoom.
- The Senate will continue to utilize the Zoom Webinar platform, which allows for two different levels of meeting participation: panelists and attendees.
- Panelists, which include committee members and expert witnesses, will be seen by all attendees on camera.
- Members of the public may join as attendees and will not be shown on camera or allowed to mute/unmute freely without being elevated to the level of “panelist” or without staff granting them permission to unmute.
- Public comment will continue to be offered virtually, as well as in-person, at the Chair’s discretion and as time allows.
- Committee notices will continue to be posted on the General Assembly website, and each notice will contain a registration link for virtual participants.
The General Assembly website can be accessed at legis.delaware.gov.
