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Sen. Mallory Morrow of Royal Oak snapped this at a Democratic caucus sit-down Tuesday in the Speaker's Library, which has more room for safer spacing than the customary room. (Photo: Twitter)

At least 17 state legislatures have suspended sessions for health safety, as have one of the two chambers in four other capitals.

Michigan isn't on either list compiled by the National Conference of State Legislatures, which strikes some Lansing lawmakers as a bad example and health risk.

Michigan Advance editor Susan J. Demas posts:

State Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey (R-Clarklake) and House Speaker Lee Chatfield (R-Levering) said last week they were not planning to cancel sessions, but they did impose some changes to accommodate staff with work-at-home options and to limit travel. ...

Some Democrats are not thrilled, especially with social distancing recommendations for people to stay six feet apart. On Thursday [March 12], state Rep. Kara Hope (D-Holt) noted on Twitter: "I think 26 of our 109 sitting members are 60 or older, putting a large percentage of the House at greater risk of contracting COVID 19. Who knows how many might have underlying conditions that also increases their risk."

At the start of this week, Rep. Hope tweeted:

"If were taking up #COVID19 related legislation or other genuinely time-sensitive issues, let's have session this week. If not, we’re needlessly gathering in a group of 200 (with staff) to share germs and then take them to literally every part of the state."

Sen. Mallory McMorrow of Royal Oak tweets the photo above and posts:

I normally would never share what happens in caucus, but for the purposes of setting an example, our caucus looked like this. We held our 2nd caucus in the open on the Senate floor. A session staffer told me it was the most surreal thing he'd ever seen.

On Wednesday night, the first-term senator observed: