Alberta.

• Date: 22 September 2020
• Author: Rempel, Jody

2nd Session of the 30lh Legislature

The Second Session of the 30th Legislature opened on February 25, 2020. The Assembly sat according to a regular schedule, as established in the sessional calendar, until mid-March 2020. On March 16, 2020, the regular business of the Assembly was set aside to permit an emergency debate regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, notice was given for Government Motion 10, which was passed the following day and which provided for temporary exceptions to the Standing Orders, particularly with regard to adjournments and reconvening of the Assembly, in order to permit greater scheduling flexibility throughout the pandemic. The Assembly met periodically until May 27, 2020, when it returned to a regular sitting schedule that included morning, afternoon and evening sessions. Social distancing and other safety measures continue to be observed in the Chamber. The public galleries in the Chamber reopened on June 15 and Members may register invited guests to attend a sitting. Gallery seating is allotted to reflect caucus proportions and available on a first come, first served basis to a maximum of 60 seats in order to ensure appropriate physical distancing. Public tours and special events, including Canada Day celebrations, remain suspended. A new sessional calendar has been published and the current session is scheduled to continue until July 23, 2020.

At the time of writing, since the beginning of the spring sitting the Government has introduced 34 bills. Some of these bills, such as Bill 10, Public Health (Emergency Powers) Amendment Act, 2020, have addressed urgent matters facing...