(AP) — Hawaii lawmakers opened a new legislative session while wearing masks and sitting next to clear plastic shields separating their seats. Public health protocols to prevent the spread of the coronavirus blocked the public from entering the state Capitol altogether Wednesday. The public couldn’t even enter the building’s open air rotunda because of heightened security adopted after rioters supporting former President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol two weeks ago. Lawmakers have a full agenda in the months ahead. At the top will be deciding how to balance the state’s budget, with an economic slowdown triggered by the pandemic having drastically depleted state tax revenue.
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