Del. House Continues Hybrid Committee Hearings

House committee meetings in the Delaware General Assembly will continue in a hybrid format indefinitely.
The House has moved away from holding committee meetings over Zoom and is using a new system.
Committees themselves are meeting in person. Residents are again able to attend House committee meetings in person at Legislative Hall. However, space in committee rooms is limited, and livestream viewing of committee meetings is encouraged.
Testimony can be given by using a call-in number available at the legislative website for each committee meeting, as well as online.

“COVID reshaped many of our lives, but it also made us think outside the box about how we conduct business. One positive change was the increased transparency that has come from streaming our meetings and sessions online. Even as the House has resumed full in-person committee meetings, we have recognized the value of the virtual aspect and have decided to continue this practice,” House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach said. “The new hybrid system has required us to step away from Zoom and start using a new system, which has had a learning curve. There admittedly have been some challenges during the soft launch of the new system, but we ask that residents be patient and understand that our staff are managing the in-person meetings they always have capably done, while learning a new streaming system on the fly. There are going to be issues along the way, but our long-term goal is to increase overall transparency and residents’ access to their government. I appreciate the long hours and hard work our staff has put into the process and hope Delawareans will see the benefit to this.”

Information about how to view and take part in House committee hearings will be shared on the legislature’s website – please CLICK HERE

According to the House Democratic Caucus:

Written comments are strongly encouraged for all persons who wish to provide public comment during a House Committee meeting. All written comments should be submitted to HouseCommitteeComment@delaware.gov. Public comments will be accepted in advance of a committee meeting and by close of business the day after the meeting has adjourned. All public comments are considered part of the official committee record.