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* Fox Atlanta…
Georgia’s Speaker of the House removed a state representative from the legislature Tuesday after officials say he failed to get a COVID-19 test.
Speaker David Ralston ordered Rep. David Clark removed from the House by law enforcement, saying that the representative refused to follow the twice-weekly testing requirements. […]
According to a statement from a spokesperson for Ralston, Clark “had been advised numerous times about the requirements and had refused to be tested at any point during this session.”
After Ralston asked Clark to leave until he was tested, officials say he refused and was escorted out.
In this session, all state lawmakers and their staff members are required to undergo testing twice a week.
As we discussed several days ago, a majority of Illinois legislators did not get tested during all but one lame duck session day. Neither chamber has so far required testing to access the floor.
* The Question: Should the Illinois House and Senate bar members from the floor if they do not submit to regular COVID-19 testing? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please…
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 12:53 pm
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
Previous Post: Historic poverty rate increase as essential workers facing higher mortality risk during pandemic
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When someone asks “what legislature can be trusted with the honor system” nobody leaps up and says “Illinois!”
Comment by lake county democrat Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 12:57 pm
Many employers are requiring regular Covid testing. Some aren’t. It appears to be legal to determine so.I don’t see a problem with legislators being required to do so. After all, most of them are required to travel from various regions of the state to come to session. They are also out and about on constituent business. They are more likely to be exposed than people working solely from home.
Comment by thoughts matter Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 12:58 pm
Yes, absolutely. Legislators should respect the health of their colleagues/staff and their families.
Comment by The Opinions Bureau Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 12:59 pm
What on earth, of course they should. Congress has been the origin of a ton of super-spreader events, as well as multiple state legislatures due to overwhelmingly Republican refusals to wear masks. If testing is actually set up, yes, toss them and expel them and bar them from office while we’re at it
Comment by Will Caskey Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 1:00 pm
Yes. If Georgia can do it, so can Illinois.
Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 1:00 pm
Yes. They can follow the rules we mere mortals are required to follow.
Comment by Anyone Remember Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 1:05 pm
Certainly. Better safe than sorry. What is the big deal? It is not as if they have to pay for it. Same with masks. I don’t think masks are that effective but again if it helps or makes other people feel safe it is just not common curtesy
Comment by DuPage Saint Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 1:08 pm
Yes, every legislature including the U.S. Congress should be implementing this standard–regardless of leadership rank or party.
It’s better that our elected officials’ are safe and healthy in order to perform their duties as they elected to do.
Comment by Pizza Man Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 1:12 pm
Yes, it should be implemented.
Comment by Justin Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 1:15 pm
Yes. The legislature is composed of people who are in close contact with each other and travel across the state. They’re also disproportionately older, too. The test isn’t fun, but it’s an inconvenience at worst. Do it, and set a good example.
Comment by Benjamin Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 1:18 pm
Currently, 18% don’t seem to be explaining their answer.
Comment by Lurker Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 1:18 pm
Yes, and also probably should include intelligence test, as well.
Comment by Bruce( no not him) Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 1:20 pm
Yes. The eastern block should be subjected to the deep nasal swab as a just because.
Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 1:22 pm
There’s no excuse not to. The tests are not difficult or onerous to do, not expensive to the legislators themselves, and not harmful to anyone. The only reasons I can think of for refusing tests are political posturing or lack of concern for others. Both of these should be grounds for removing lawmakers from the decision-making process, in my opinion.
Comment by Dysfunction Junction Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 1:23 pm
Voted yes.
Easy vote.
“Why?”
Not for the legislators, or to them exclusively, no, I voted yes for staff, crew, anyone needing to assist the facilities, chambers, the press, it’s important, like masks are important, not for the individuals, but in respect to all those legislators come in contact with while in session.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 1:25 pm
Would like to hear from someone why they voted ‘no’.
Comment by bogey golfer Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 1:29 pm
Yes, but there should be some provision for participating remotely. Refusing a COVID test shouldn’t be a valid excuse for missing important discussions or votes.
Comment by SomeGuy Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 1:32 pm
Where’d all the “my body my choice” folks go?
Comment by Yep Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 1:34 pm
Yeo, if pregnancies were contagious you might have a point. But they’re not, so you don’t.
But that’s some A+ trolling there. Did you see that on Facebook?
Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 1:38 pm
Wait~ isn’t the Legislature exempt from anything and everything??
Comment by Pizza Man Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 1:38 pm
Voted no because essential workers, including those in health care, aren’t being tested unless they have symptoms. If the GA has proven anything over the last year, it’s that they aren’t essential.
Comment by JB Has T-Rex Arms Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 1:41 pm
Yes, and they should restore access to the press and to lobbyists who are willing to get tested.
Comment by SAP Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 1:43 pm
If the state expects my wife to do it (and our insurance to pay for it btw) it seems only fair that the legislators do the same
Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 1:44 pm
Any medical history fans here? (Or Freakinomics fans, that’s where I first heard of him.)
Watching this even being a debate is going to an embarassing part of history. I’m reminded of the 19th century Hungarian physician, Ignaz Semmelweis, pioneer of the concept of antiseptics.
Doctors were a highly respected profession, and as such, often had airs about them. When the hospital Semmelweis worked at had a high maternal mortality rate (even for the time), he championed the simple idea of washing your hands. It was common practice for doctors of the time to examine bodies in the morgue with their students right before delivering babies. Many of the women became infected and died as a result.
Doctors scoffed at his pleading for them to wash their hands, because they felt they knew better. Germ Theory, while having traces as far back as the 11th century, was not commonly accepted yet.
After he convinced the hospital administration to enforce a handwashing trial run. The maternal mortality rate went down from 10% to below 1% with this one change. His work would be validated just a few years after his death when Louis Pasteur found solid evidence to support germ theory.
Tl:dr Our hubris towards forces we do not understand is our greatest impediment as a society. Very simple, common sense sanitary practices could have helped severely reduce the hundreds of thousands of deaths in this country. Wear a mask, get tested, and quit being a baby about it.
Comment by Commisar Gritty Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 1:47 pm
Absolutely, especially considering the House’s mini-outbreak during lame duck. And everyone needs to wear their masks - none of this having a pile of m&ms on your desk so you can keep your mask down as you eat them slowly one by one… (i don’t know if m&ms were present, just seemed like a good stand in)
Comment by LoyalVirus Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 1:48 pm
Voted no. Would put them in a hazmat suit so they could not infect anyone.
I don’t like creating ways legislators can be kept from voting. I think it takes a 2/3 vote to expel someone. Short of that, find a way.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 1:51 pm
TY, Commisar - very well put. I will be a mask wearer for future flu seasons, & continue vigorous hand washing.
Comment by LoyalVirus Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 1:53 pm
No. What test are you going to use? Abbott rapid test is only right about 8 of 10 times in people showing symptoms.
Its right 4 of 10 times in cases where people had no symptoms. If that’s the test your going to use its not accurate enough.
Mask and distance. Even around infected people that still works. No masks off for hugs, photos, or people you know.
Comment by Cool Papa Bell Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 1:59 pm
Voted yes, routine testing is a simple and effective way of reducing the number of Covid carriers from carrying it around. Ditto for airplanes, classrooms and other enclosed spaces. If you want to participate in person, you are required to get tested, get vaccinated when available, wear a mask and wash your hands. We all owe that to each other.(banned punctuation)
Comment by Froganon Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 2:03 pm
I voted YES. It’s only common sense that they be test. They are with people from all over the state in one location. It only takes one infected person to start a chain reaction and before long it’s a super spreader. It’s a simple test. It’s just like wearing your mask.
Why does it have to come to this? Just do it.
Comment by Club J Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 2:12 pm
I’m a yes. the general assembly should not become a super spreader.
Comment by anononyn Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 2:14 pm
Yes. Legislators should be a model on behavior that leads to controlling COVID. Costs them nothing, takes zero effort, and has actual real impact.
Comment by zatoichi Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 2:18 pm
Yes because get with the program already
Comment by Usually Yes Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 2:19 pm
No. Multiple reasons. Nursing homes can’t get tests back fast enough. I hate any extraneous testing when those tests need to be done and the outcomes do have far more real world impact/effects. If you have already had covid and recovered (and many legislators have), testing them is pointless given the near-term risks. The accuracy on asymptomatic testing is a coin toss. Most critically, the highest inflection point for spread is in medical care facilities/from health care worker. All you need is to infect the health care worker, and then w mandatory testing, everyone is now at risk. Add that to the legalities of forced medical anything, leave it be.
Comment by Mary Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 2:22 pm
CNN reports that China is poised to bump the US economy to number 2. They site China’s strict adherence to mitigation, masks and social distance as the reason their economy has been surging. The extremist patriots here in Illinois and America have refused to adhere to science and have cost many lives and caused great damage to our economy. I wish these self destructive simpletons would comply.
Comment by Frumpy White Guy Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 2:25 pm
==No… Abbott rapid test is only right about 8 of 10 times…==
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” - Wayne Gretzky
“You miss 100% of the COVID cases you don’t test for.” - Common Sense
Comment by Dysfunction Junction Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 2:48 pm
You only need to look at the University of Illinois to see that testing and tracing and mask wearing reduces the spread of the virus
Comment by South of 64 Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 2:55 pm
@DJ - I thought that was Michael Scott?/snark
How about the miss rate on the tests of people without symptoms… the people you really need to find because there is no other way for them to tell.
If you want to PCR everyone and give a 4 hour turn around through the state lab at Springfield then I guess do it. But that’s not what’s going to be done. It proves you really can’t use testing to establish a true sense of safety around a group of people.
Just how far did COVID spread from the one positive person at the BOS? I’m not hearing of it being a mini-spreader or a super one (be glad to know exactly)
But really were going to maybe use a test with a nearly 50/50 error rate on some cases to keep lawmakers off the floor and maybe away from a vote. Not good enough.
Comment by Cool Papa Bell Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 2:58 pm
@South
Agree on U of I salvia test. But I was chided here weeks ago at the suggestion of bringing it on board because the FDA won’t allow it.
So, until the FDA gets on board - it’s off the board.
Also data shows that saliva test is more accurate than rapid nose swabs and generally is accepted as much easier to administer. But it’s moot until the FDA moves on the issue.
Comment by Cool Papa Bell Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 3:02 pm
This is as basic as wearing a hard hat, safety vest, and work boots on a construction site. Voted yes.
Comment by ChicagoBars Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 3:05 pm
YES. Time to stop coddling Covidiots. Comply or be removed. You have no “right” to spread disease. Done.
Comment by thisjustinagain Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 3:31 pm
Miss the twice weekly COVID tests more than twice and you forfeit you seat in the Genersl Assembly
Comment by Retired Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 3:41 pm
They can have the antigen testing done daily. Easy peasy. Like they are doing in nursing homes.
Comment by Groundhog Day Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 3:41 pm
@ Cool Papa Bell - I’m sympathetic to your basic argument (we need better tests) and your stated solution - more masks and distancing. It’s just that I don’t see these as mutually exclusive. We/they can do both… and should.
I also agree with you on the UofI saliva tests. It’s silly not to use them. They’re quick, relatively cheap, and plenty accurate. Perhaps we could enroll all lawmakers in a free, one-credit college class (Democracy Lab 101?) to get around the pesky FDA prohibitions? /snark
Comment by Dysfunction Junction Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 3:43 pm
Yes.
If we’re on the hook for an extra 30k a day to protect them from a deadly pandemic, there’s absolutely no reason we should allow the poor judgement of a single legislator to imperil our expensive efforts.
Comment by Candy Dogood Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 3:44 pm
@Retired - Tom DeVore will see you in court if you try to pass that. /s
Comment by Dysfunction Junction Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 3:45 pm
I voted yes! It then occured to me, that I should ask who set the rule, was it legislative? Or was it set by someone else like a governor?
Comment by Retired Educator Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 3:56 pm
===It’s silly not to use them===
U of I got way ahead of itself and presumed some facts not in existence.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 4:13 pm
voted no.
why just Covid-19? test for more–tuberculosis, syphillis, strep throat, pink eye, etc.
Comment by Dave Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 4:43 pm
Yes. No brainer.
Comment by TinyDancer(FKASue) Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 7:58 pm