Alabama House of Representatives Makes Changes Due to COVID-19 Pandemic
New Measures
The 105 Member Alabama House of Representatives will use a remote voting system this February to increase social distancing and reduce the number of Representatives on the house floor.
Members will use tablets to vote, and be divided between the house floor, the house viewing gallery, and three other designated areas in the state house.
A live stream of the floor will be provided to members in their designated areas, and the remote voting system will cast votes in real time.
Representatives will have all the functionality they would if they were on the house floor.
The voting must be done from the designated areas.
A member cannot vote from his or her office, or a remote location outside of the state house.
“We want to minimize all of the risk that we can, and we’re looking at things like the distancing factor, wearing mask, having temperatures checked, we’re even exploring the possibility of being able to have members tested weekly,” said Speaker of the House Mac McCutcheon.
McCutcheon says members of the house will be required to wear mask when in session with no exceptions.
The 105 tablets and software cost the state around $120,00.
The funds are expected to  be reimbursed under the CARES Act.
