by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)
Less than a week after Gov. Asa Hutchinson suggested the state Legislature meet in a Committee of the Whole to consider supporting his emergency declaration due to COVID-19, leaders of both chambers said Tuesday (Dec. 15) they would wait until the regular session in January 2021.
In a televised prime time speech to the state last Thursday, Gov. Hutchinson asked the legislature to support his current COVID-19 emergency declaration, which began in March and has been most recently extended to Dec. 31, 2020. The declaration has allowed the governor to restrict and expand a number of activities in the interest of public health.