Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) issued the following statement on Thursday afternoon, April 9 to announce COVID-19 hearings next week:

“As we remain on legislative recess to do our part to help flatten the COVID-19 curve and work from our districts to help our constituents through this time of crisis, we in the Senate and the Assembly are planning committee hearings to be held before the full Legislature returns to the Capitol.

“Each house is finalizing preparations to hold hearings within the next two weeks, focusing on the state’s COVID-19 spending. We strongly believe the Governor and his team are working diligently on the behalf of Californians, but we promised the people of California we would provide this oversight when we passed emergency COVID-19 funding in March. Details will be forthcoming from the Assembly and the Senate as the hearings are finalized.

“The need for continued physical distancing and other related considerations mean these hearings will work somewhat differently from past hearings in order to make every effort to ensure public participation and protect public health.”