Legislative leaders are monitoring the spike in coronavirus cases across Florida but haven’t made plans to reimpose restrictions on public access that were used during the 2021 session.
With the 2022 legislative session starting Jan. 11, people will be allowed to roam most of the Capitol complex and address lawmakers in person.
“In light of the pandemic, the Florida House last session made significant improvements to facilities, including adding hospital-grade HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters for better air quality, ample hand sanitizing stations and more,” House spokeswoman Jenna Sarkissian said in an email. “These improvements remain in place as the 2022 legislative session approaches and members prepare to do the people’s business.”
During the 2021 session, the Senate sharply restricted public access to try to prevent spread of Covid-19. For example, people who wanted to speak before Senate committees had to go to the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center, a few blocks west of the Capitol at Florida State University, and appear through a livestream feed.
In the House, lobbyists and other visitors were required to register online at least three hours before committee meetings, show identification and pick up passes to gain access to meeting rooms.
Katie Betta, a spokeswoman for Senate President Wilton Simpson, said in an email Monday that Simpson “continues to monitor the status of the pandemic,” but the Senate has not put in place plans to resume the 2021 restrictions.
On Dec. 20, Simpson, R-Trilby, advised members that the Senate will be open to visitors throughout the upcoming 60-day session. A memo from Simpson also said senators could request social distancing and masking within their individual offices.
“We should all be respectful and honor such requests,” added Simpson, who in October issued a rebuke to Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo for declining to wear a mask while in the office of Sen. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton.
Polsky was being treated for breast cancer. Ladapo defended his action by saying he cannot communicate clearly “when half of my face is covered.”
Beside the option of senators requiring masks and social distancing in their offices, Simpson said the Senate will continue to conduct frequent cleanings of common areas and restrooms and provide wipes, sanitizer and other products for use in between routine cleanings of office spaces. Also, hand sanitizing stations remain in place in common areas and HEPA filters will be used in committee rooms, the Senate chamber and the press gallery.
“We now have a better understanding of how our own personal health impacts others in the workplace,” Simpson wrote. “Everyone is encouraged to monitor their health daily and to stay at home when sick.”
The Senate will make testing available to elected officials and their staff, Simpson’s memo said.
The Senate and House will hold a joint session Jan. 11 in the House chamber to hear Gov. Ron DeSantis’ State of the State address, the traditional kickoff for the session. Simpson will host a luncheon for senators and their families in the Old Capitol’s Senate chamber after the joint session.
The session will open against the backdrop of a spike in COVID-19 cases, as the highly contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus has spread across the state. It also will come two months after lawmakers held a special session that included taking steps to prevent vaccination and mask mandates — a key issue for DeSantis.
–Jim Turner, News Service of Florida
MikeM says
The flavor of the day is Omicron. Pretty much everyone has been exposed. Most are asymptomatic. Most of those that get sick have minor symptoms. Notice you never hear about colds and flu anymore.
If you have been triple vaxed, go and live your life. If you are afraid, stay home. We all have to die of something.
A.j says
No covid restrictions bad news, more covid deaths worst news we can get. Repubs are in control why I’m not surprised.
Paula says
Well, daughter’s non-vaccinated father-in-law now hospitalized in Ohio having trouble breathing. Minor symptoms, Mike M.?? Easy to say, but regret sets in when you’re gasping for breath, and realize it could have been prevented, or at least mitigated. He believed what the right-wing media told him: No big deal, minor symptoms/most are asymptomatic. Except when it’s you and it’s not…
He didn’t believe in science/the vaccine, and now he realizes he was wrong. Hopefully not dead wrong.
Deborah Coffey says
What is this? “Let’s go Darwin?”
Thank Goodness says
SSoooo……what about districts,areas and states that are surging that are democrat controlled??If your reasoning behind this is because its republican controlled,please explain the why the same exact thing happening in democrat controlled
Thank Goodness says
But why not mention in your comment Actual facts?Why do people consistantly leave out the fact that although he may be suffering right now,the virus has a 99% survival rate.That is FACT-straight from the CDC.And while that has happened to him,when I myself and wife and kids had it I was the only one in my house that showed any symptoms at all,wich was asore throat for 2 days and now have natural immunity.Why not list all the facts?While I do not deny many have died,99% dont!
Pierre Tristam says
The commenter is using reductionist math to mask the severity of the risk. If in the aggregate the survival rate is 99 percent, it is not so the older the demographic. An analysis of six weeks of mortality data showed a mortality rate 8.1 times higher among those 55 to 64 years than those younger than 55, and more than 62 times higher among those ages 65 or older. Mortality rates were 77 percent higher in men than in women. Those are not salutary numbers. The analysis was conducted in the earlier phases of the pandemic and mortality rates have decreased as treatment and vaccines have spread, but death rates remain significantly uneven, and worse, the older the infected. A more recent analysis showed that between July and September, during the delta surge, the death rate among those 65 and older in Florida was 250 per 100,000, by far the steepest in the entire nation, with 84 percent of its population vaccinated. Florida, of course, had opted to operate as if there was no pandemic. It did so, and continues to do so, at the expense of its older population. Shirley Jackson would have had a ball writing this up. Finally, even taking the one-percenter approach, the space shuttle program had a 98.5 percent survival rate. The nation couldn’t live with those odds, for good reason. Nor would you, if they were applied to your next flight. To apply even the 1 percent doctrine to covid’s mortality reflects an indifferent to human life on a genocidal scale.
Ray W. says
The flaw in Thank Goodness’ reasoning is that so-called conservatives live in every state. A statistically higher proportion of these so-called conservatives decline to wear masks wherever appropriate, decline vaccinations, and spread disinformation, regardless of the state or region in which they live, when compared to those who do not identify as so-called conservatives. While everyone can be infected by whatever variant of the virus to which they are exposed, the unvaccinated are statistically more likely to experience high viral loads that lead to a greater likelihood of transmission to others around them. Those who already have natural immunity from previous infections, those who already have enhanced natural immunity from previous infections, plus vaccinations, including boosters, and those who already have enhanced immunity from vaccinations, including boosters, are statistically less likely to experience a high viral load or be hospitalized, or be placed on life support, or experience long-Covid after recovery, or die. These people exist in every state, too.
The fact that some states are governed by Republicans and others by Democrats is a fake narrative designed to mislead FlaglerLive readers. Every state will be impacted again and again by the virus, regardless of which political party occupies the governor’s office. It is difficult for Thank Goodness to score a point, much less win an argument, when he or she starts with a losing argument.