California GOP lawmakers irked over virtual voting glitches during quarantine

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Republicans in California’s state Senate voiced their anger on Monday evening amid a capped debate and remote voting glitches after GOP lawmakers were forced to quarantine when one member of their caucus tested positive for COVID-19.

Republican state senators argued that their First Amendment rights were being violated and that Democrats were suppressing their freedom of speech when the majority party decided to impose speaking limitations as the Senate tried to work through dozens of bills that still needed approval during end-of-session work.

“So you’re just going to shut Republicans out of debate?” Republican state Sen. Melissa Melendez said during the session, according to the Sacramento Bee. “This is b------t.”

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State Sen. Jim Nielsen – the only Republican allowed in the statehouse chambers as he skipped the GOP caucus – expressed his incredulity over the move to cap speaking time.

“This is unprecedented in my experience here, and I want a doggone reason,” Nielsen said.

The motion to limit on speaking time to two minutes was approved 28-10 along party lines, with Democrats arguing that while it is rare for such limits to be implemented in the state Senate, it is not unprecedented.

After a period of partisan bickering and snipes, Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, a San Diego Democrats, said she understood the frustration given the circumstances because of the coronavirus pandemic, but added that the Senate was on a deadline and had to get through their work.

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“It has clearly been a frustrating year,” Atkins said. “I believe in our ability to rise above and beyond this moment of frustration, anxiety and uncertainty. And the clock is ticking.”

The forced quarantine of the majority of Republican state senators came after GOP Sen. Brian Jones tested positive for COVID-19 following a caucus meeting last week.

Atkins quickly cancelled a floor session last Wednesday following Jones’ positive test so contact tracing and testing of GOP members and staff could be carried. The move to cancel session put the Senate in an even tighter time crunch to approve legislation relating to the coronavirus, housing production and policing accountability.

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Republicans were also forced to self-quarantine for 14 days – regardless of whether or not they tested positive for the virus – per regulations implemented back in March.

Despite the partisan fighting, lawmakers were still able to pass a bill that provides employees of smaller businesses the same 12 weeks of job protections while taking family leave as those who work for larger companies.

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, also signed a bill passed by the Senate that extends protections against evictions by five months for California renters facing financial hardship due to the pandemic.

“COVID-19 has impacted everyone in California — but some bear much more of the burden than others, especially tenants struggling to stitch together the monthly rent, and they deserve protection from eviction,” Newsom said in a statement announcing the signing. “This new law protects tenants from eviction for non-payment of rent and helps keep homeowners out of foreclosure as a result of economic hardship caused by this terrible pandemic.”