State lawmakers will be sworn in Wednesday as the 130th Maine Legislature takes office. But the session will be like none in recent history.
Instead of converging on the ornate House and Senate chambers, newly sworn-in legislators will convene at the much more spacious Augusta Civic Center as part of the effort to follow health safety guidelines and to curb the spread of COVID-19.
No guests will be allowed, so the long tradition of inviting in family members for the opening ceremonies will be lost to this Legislature.
Lawmakers get down to business Wednesday electing the secretary of state, state treasurer, attorney general and state auditor.