Legislative Council votes to enter executive session to discuss Legislative Hall security

The Legislative Council voted to enter executive session to discuss security recommendations and building security designs for Legislative Hall, citing the need to discuss documents excluded from public record.

Senator Sikola moved that the council enter executive session "to further discuss the contents of documents excluded from the definition of public record under 29 Delaware c subsection 10002" (as read into the record). The motion listed individuals who should join the closed session because they "have a relationship to the matter to be discussed or are needed to provide assistance to legislative counsel," including the director of the Division of Legislative Services and staff, the controller general, the director of legislative information systems, the chief clerk of the House and secretary of the Senate, chiefs of staff for the House and Senate majority and minority caucuses, Chief Thompson and Capitol Police staff, Director Coverdale of the Division of Facilities Management and staff, and a representative from Advantech.

After a second and roll call, the chair announced the required vote had been received and the council entered executive session; for those watching on the General Assembly website the public stream and recording were paused. The minutes show the roll call for entry recorded 9 yes, 1 absent.

Context and next steps: The council treated the security designs and related documents as exempt from public disclosure for the purposes of deliberation because discussion of the material could jeopardize building security, and the council proceeded to an executive session with the named participants. The public meeting resumed later and adjourned without further public deliberation on the security materials.

Vote at a glance: Motion to enter executive session — passed (roll call announced: 9 yes, 1 absent).