State lawmakers will return to work on Wednesday as the General Assembly is called back to Springfield.
House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President Don Harmon both confirmed today, the abbreviated session that is set to convene May 20th though the 22nd.
Madigan sent a letter to House Minority Leader Jim Durkin establishing a set of health and safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 during the sessions.
According to the Associated Press, Madigan’s letter to Durkin asked that all lawmakers pledge to abide by Illinois Department of Public Health guidelines for safely congregating.
Lawmakers are being asked to be tested for COVID-19 prior to making the trip to Springfield, agreeing to undergo body temperature checks upon entering the building for sessions, wearing provided face coverings whenever meeting with staff members or colleagues, avoiding outside meetings or social engagements, and undergoing another test upon returning home.
The House will gavel to order next Wednesday at the Bank of Springfield Center in an effort to conduct proceedings while practicing social distancing for the 118 members.
The Senate’s 59 members will meet in the Capitol’s Senate Chambers according to a spokesperson for Senate President Don Harmon.
No agenda for the sessions was included in Madigan’s letter, while Harmon spokesperson John Patterson told the Associated Press the Senate would take up “fiscal and COVID-19 related issues”.
The General Assembly has been been absent from the capitol since late March, when the number of COVID-19 case confirmations began to rapidly increase.
It is expected that the general assembly will tackle the task of agreeing on a state budget which will need to go into effect on July 1st.