HELENA — The Montana Legislature has canceled floor sessions on Monday, April 19 following canceled floor sessions on Friday after a lobbyist testing positive for COVID-19.
The Legislature says they are continuing to exercise an abundance of caution after a lobbyist tested positive.
Legislature staff report that nine legislators, seven staff and two other individuals received tests through the Legislature’s testing program on Friday. All tested negative.
The contact tracer continues to work to ensure all close contacts have been notified.
Monday will not count as an official legislative day. Committees meeting on Monday will hear public testimony only over Zoom and legislators will participate virtually unless they have internet issues, tech problems, or other extenuating circumstances.
This is the first time in the 2021 session that the Legislature has canceled floor sessions because of a COVID-19 infection.
The session's 90th and final day is May 11, but lawmakers have been saying they hope to wrap things up early, in the week of April 26.
Six lawmakers have tested positive for COVID-19 since the start of the session: Reps. Ross Fitzgerald, Becky Beard, Brian Putnam, David Bedey, Fiona Nave and one unnamed lawmaker.
