Newfoundland and Labrador.

• Date: 22 March 2021
• Author: George, Kim Hawley

The first session of the 49th General Assembly continued in the autumn of 2020. The House sat for four days in September and passed additional interim supply (the Interim Supply Act, 2020, No. 4). The Budget was delivered on September 30, 2020, and the House met to consider estimates and related measures until Royal Assent was granted on November 5, 2020. On December 10, 2020, and December 14, 2020, the House met again to consider a Bill relating to the unlocking of pension funds. The House then adjourned to the call of the chair.

COVID-19 Considerations

The initial sitting after the implementation of public health measures on March 26, 2020, was conducted with a quorum of 10 Members in the Chamber, three Table Officers and the Sergeant-At-Arms. The public galleries were closed and tours were suspended.

When the House met again in May and June, September to November and in December, various physical arrangements/accommodations were made to the Chamber. At times, Members were seated in the public gallery and the Speaker's galleries. These changes were authorized by resolution of the House. After collaboration with public health officials, and with many iterations, all 40 Members and four Table Officers can now be accommodated on the floor of the Chamber with physical distancing measures in place. These arrangements have been approved by the Chief Medical Officer of Health.

Other public health measures required by the Speaker are as follows:

* Non-medical masks are worn by Members and House officials when moving about the Chamber. Masks are not required while Members are seated or when they are speaking in debate.

* All Members are required to speak from a seated position on the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health. Members first stand to be recognized by the Speaker and once recognized, immediately sit down and speak while seated.

* Members are encouraged to keep debate volume at a normal conversational level and use their microphones as much as possible.

* No pages or commissionaires are present in order to minimize the number of people in the Chamber. The public gallery and Speaker's galleries remain dosed, and tours are suspended. The scrum area has been modified to allow for safe physical distancing.

Matters of interest:

Commissioner for Legislative Standards: The Commissioner has issued a report under subsection 42(2) of the House of Assembly Act ("the Act") respecting the compliance of the MHA for Humber-Bay of Islands with...