To ensure the House of Delegates can safely convene during the upcoming 90 day session, House leaders have divided the chamber into two groups – with 71 members meeting in the House chamber and 70 in a Chamber Annex constructed out of two delegation rooms in the House Office Building. To determine seating for the Chamber Annex names were drawn at random.

According to a Maryland Matters article,

Republican members make up 29.7% of the House, meaning 20 members were selected to sit in the annex. Thirty-eight Democratic members were selected to sit in the annex.

Leaders in both parties, as well as committee chairs and vice chairs, will be evenly split between the two locations.

Members who expressed health concerns will be seated in the House chamber gallery.

The article lists Republican and Democratic members who will sit in the Chamber Annex. Specific seat assignments for the House Chamber and Annex will be made by the middle of December.

The House of Delegates has also announced committee guidelines for the upcoming session. These guidelines are based on current information and are subject to change based on public health trends. As specified in the guidelines, all House committee work will be conducted virtually.  During the first third of the session (January 14th through at least February 12th) House committee work for standing committees will occur during the following time blocks:

  • Mondays 1:30pm – 5:30pm
  • Tuesdays through Thursdays 11am – 12:30pm; 1:30pm – 5:30pm; 6:30pm – 8:30pm
  • Fridays 11am – 12:30pm; 1:30pm – 5:30pm

Hearings will begin on pre-filed bills January 14 and all bills will receive a hearing. Committee chairs continue to have discretion over the length of the hearing. Hearing schedules for each committee will be posted at the latest during the week before the hearing is scheduled.

Witness sign-up will be opened online through the General Assembly website 48 hours before the bill hearing beginning at 10 am until 3 pm. Committees will cap bill hearings at a maximum of 50 witnesses per bill. The specific bill order will be posted on the General Assembly website the day before the hearing.

Subcommittee work and voting sessions will be livestreamed through the General Assembly website.

More details can be found in the 2021 House Committee Guidelines document.