Washington’s Legislature convenes in Olympia Monday for a new session that will be unlike any other in state history.
State lawmakers plan to conduct most of their 105-day session remotely, holding hearings on legislation and even voting via web conferencing.
But first, they need to convene in person so they can adopt new rules allowing that to happen.
And a cloud hangs over the Capitol campus in Olympia, just days after a mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol to try to stop the certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s November election victory.
Armed protesters breached the gate of Washington’s Governor’s Mansion the same day, with some in the crowd urging protesters to return for the first day of the legislative session.
State officials had already planned to keep the Capitol building and other legislative offices closed to the public because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But security plans will be more robust than usual for Monday’s opening ceremonies.
