Legislative session begins with social distancing, heightened security
OLYMPIA — State lawmakers began their 2021 session Monday socially distanced inside the state Capitol to combat the coronavirus and a gauntlet of law enforcement officers outside to protect against any disruptions.
There was little pomp in the House and Senate as members passed, along party lines, rules clearing the way to switch into all-virtual mode for the remainder of the session.
And there turned out to be not much protesting either.
As rain fell steadily throughout the day, hundreds of Washington State Patrol officers and Washington National Guard members did sentry duty behind temporary fencing erected around the Capitol building perimeter.
Gov. Jay Inslee activated 750 members of the Washington National Guard to help the State Patrol prevent anyone from trying to breach the Capitol, like what occurred in Washington, D.C., last week.
In the moments before the Senate convened at 11 a.m. troopers arrested a 30-year-old Everett man as he attempted to breach their line and walk into an area off-limits to the public.
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