RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia lawmakers met Tuesday for a special session aimed at addressing both the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic and widespread calls for criminal justice reform sparked by the death of George Floyd.

But first, lawmakers had to haggle over logistics. House legislators, meeting at Virginia Commonwealth University’s basketball arena with desks spread far apart, argued for hours over whether to hold future meetings virtually. Democrats muscled through a change that allows lawmakers to hold meetings and votes virtually, over the strong objections of Republicans. GOP lawmakers were able to delay virtual committee meetings until next week.

The Senate, meeting at a nearby museum, grumbled about the House's plans and said to continue meeting in person and is looking to get work on its bills done as soon as possible.

In an address to lawmakers early Tuesday, done virtually, Gov. Ralph Northam urged them to move quickly to address budget problems caused by the pandemic, pass criminal justice reform and improve voter access ahead of the presidential elections. Specifically, the governor announced a $2 million proposal for prepaid postage for all absentee ballots and budget language that expressly permits local governments to use drop boxes or implement drop-off locations for absentee voters. The Virginia Department of Elections would set security standards for the drop boxes.

“All you have to do is turn on the TV to see why this is so important,” Northam said, urging lawmakers to move quickly because the state will start mailing out absentee ballots in four weeks.

But lawmakers are still trying to figure out the new way of doing business during the pandemic. House lawmakers were given new iPads and lessons on how to use them to vote remotely.

Many male lawmakers in the House skipped wearing ties, which Northam — a pediatric neurologist — has said can help spread disease. Most lawmakers wore masks, but not all of them.

In the Senate, lawmakers were seated far apart and some with medical conditions were put behind plexiglass partitions.

Democrats, who took full control of the General Assembly earlier this year, have promised an expansive session whose proposals range from banning police chokeholds to increased spending on high-speed internet for virtual schooling.

Last week, Northam's administration announced that it's projecting a drop of $2.7 billion in revenues because of the pandemic. Northam officials believe the state has enough money to keep its base budget without making draconian cuts like in other states. But the Democratic governor believes the state will have to postpone spending for new initiatives or ongoing expenses like state employee and teacher pay raises or free community college for certain students.

“We feared worse. But this still requires serious and thoughtful budgeting and planning,” Northam said.

Northam wants to make one-time spending on expanding broadband internet access and boosting funds for affordable housing. He's also seeking to extend a moratorium on evictions until next May.

Northam's voting-security proposals come amid public backlash over mail disruptions and after President Donald Trump acknowledged that he's starving the U.S. Postal Service of money to make it harder to process an expected surge of mail-in ballots, which he worries could cost him the election.

Democratic lawmakers have promised broad action on criminal justice reforms, including banning no-knock warrants, giving prosecutors unrestricted access to all reports and disciplinary records of police officers and downgrading the charge of assault on a police officer from a felony to a misdemeanor in cases where the officer is not injured.

Virginia is one of several states to push for such reforms after the May death of George Floyd, a Black man who died after struggling to breathe under the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer.

There were several protesters who stood outside where lawmakers gathered Tuesday. Some advocated for greater school funding and a rent relief, others — carrying assault rifles and wearing camouflage — advocated for gun rights.