June 19, 2015 Womble Legislative Update

A contentious week on Jones Street ends on a sad note.  As the General Assembly takes up (or doesn't) issues relating to abortion, economic incentives, access to guns, access to healthcare, tax fairness, Medicaid reform and other high stakes issues, the Legislative Building fills with passionate protesters seeking to influence the outcomes. Moral Monday arrests continue – although you can't guarantee it will be on a Monday – and emotions are running high.  Now every legislative office contains a "panic button" that alerts on-site police. Now there are velvet ropes between the public and the 14 foot high brass doors to the legislative chambers. And for the first time we can remember the Fire Marshall is actually enforcing the occupancy limits in those overstuffed, sweltering committee rooms. This week Jones Street had that uneasy feeling.