Representatives-Elect Will Mortenson and Erin Tobin won’t be the only legislators wearing masks in Pierre during Session. Bob Mercer reports that the Legislative leaders are circulating a pandemic-prep document directing legislators, staff, and the public to wear masks to prevent the spread of coronavirus at the Capitol:
Topping the list for the January 12 opening is a statement that senators and representatives will wear masks — with some caveats.
“Senators not wearing a mask must, as much as practical, remain a minimum of 6 feet away from LRC staff and session staff,” the document states, referring to the Legislative Research Council. “Representatives would be expected to wear masks, except when talking in committee or on the House floor.”
It adds, “All non-Senators would be required to wear masks during Senate committee meetings and while occupying space that is under the jurisdiction of the Senate. Signs will be posted” [Bob Mercer, “S.D. Legislature’s Leaders Agree: They Expect Lawmakers Will Wear Masks for 2021 Session,” KELO-TV, 2020.11.24].
To some degree, legislators still don’t get pandemic prevention: they make an exception to their own mask rule for members who are speaking in committee or speaking on the floor, but projecting one’s voice is one of the keys mode of transmitting coronavirus. A mask is even more important when talking and speechifying—keep it on!
But note the Senate’s commitment to requiring masks in committee rooms of “all non-Senators.” Boy, I hope Governor Noem shows up to testify on a bill. The images of her wearing a mask in a committee room would do wonders to encourage all South Dakotans to adopt that simple and effective method of caring for our neighbors and preventing infection.
The pandemic-prep document indicates numerous other adjustments to regular procedure:
- For joint sessions, when everyone crowds into the House, the back of the gallery may be reserved for lawmakers to better spread everyone out.
- The Legislature is currently planning to excuse members to participate remotely only if they test positive for coronavirus, are in quarantine due to close contact, or live with someone who has a pre-existing condition that raises their coronavirus risk. (It’s nice to know South Dakota Republicans support protecting South Dakotans with pre-existing conditions.)
- The Legislature will encourage written and electronic testimony to reduce crowding in committee rooms.
- LRC staff and committee secretaries may participate remotely to reduce their exposure and promote multi-tasking (wait a minute: why are you playing Minesweeper during committee?).
- Staff and secretaries will no longer prepare three-ring binders for committee members (hear, hear! that’s what tablets and laptops are for!).
- The Legislature is looking into buying and installing video monitors outside the chambers to keep the galleries less crowded. (I propose a cheaper, more convenient model: bulk up the free Internet bandwidth in the Capitol so every visitor can simply watch the livestreams from SDPB on their phones!)
- The Legislature is looking at purchasing a truckload of masks (“100,000??”), hand sanitizer, sneeze guards, plastic partitions, rapid testing kits, air purifiers, disinfectant wipes, and maybe rubber gloves.
Every little bit the Legislature does can help prevent coronavirus. Stay vigilant, legislators: wear those masks, scrub those hands, and keep your distance!
I don’t understand why it takes a certain level of tragedy before the lightbulbs start coming on, especially when all of this was easily predicted using elementary math for a rough estimate on how bad things can get. Apparently though, some people like to egg things on and be reactive instead of proactive. Leaders need to be proactive. Elect those that are.
Just curious, so I looked at the latest numbers this morning…
BROOKINGS COUNTY has averaged 77 new Covid cases (relative to 100,000 residents) this week. How do other South Dakota counties compare?
Codington 108
Brown 147
Beadle 157
Davison 210
Yankton 127
Clay 130
Hughes 146
Pennington 101
Minnehaha 128
Lincoln 116
(From NY Times. 11/25/2020)
Apparently your beloved fearless leaders don’t want to get sick or die. Who knew?
If half the legislature got covid from not wearing masks, what would happen then? Most of them are in the middle aged to elderly age range and are MAGA suppports so they would have a decent change of getting sick in a crowd that would choose to not put on a mask on due to their obsession with their so-called freedom being taken away.
The Legislature won’t listen to newcomers. Kristi Noem won’t wear a mask so most of the legislature won’t wear one either. God is one their side so they believe so they will be protected. I am serious.
@Jenny – a lot of people have the attitude “if I die I die; The Good Lord decides.” With that attitude widespread in SD and even the nation, it’s hard to control much of anything. Don’t know if these people have the same attitude when it comes to their kids and providing food for them so their kids don’t starve to death, Good Lord or not…
I wonder if they “cleared” these moves with their no-mask governess? She’ll be pissed if they don’t check with her first and I somehow can’t bring myself to think they have the spine to act on their own.
drumpf/noem body count is coming for you, bigly….
United States
Coronavirus Cases:
13,039,271
Deaths:
267,024
2100 went by the wayside yesterday and could top that today.
https://apnews.com/article/public-health-kristi-noem-west-virginia-coronavirus-pandemic-5ab0baaf215fdb39aa3586488591a52a
Ha Ha! Gov Walz isn’t the only one governor to criticize Noem over her Covid ignorance. W Virginia’s GOP governor has spoken out now. Hear that SD, it’s not a Democrat conspiracy.
Resist masks for everyone. The sick and vulnerable are welcome to them. Also, mandatory vaccines won’t engender a civil war, but they should and can engender mass non-compliance. Science says immune system health is bolstered by exposure to one another (chicken pox parties?)
Please listen to Johnnie Dale Republicans. Everything he’s saying is good for you.
drumpf/noerm body count outdid itself this day….
United States
Coronavirus Cases:
13,117,368
Deaths:
268,025
with a couple moar hours left in the day. Imagine how boring this daily count could have/should have/would have been with competent leadership in DC and Northern Mississippi.
Mr. Dale is indeed righter-than-right on many things. Not the Five Gs, but on the mask thing he seems to make some sense. grudznick has read all the science and it is inconclusive about hankies. That being said, I still wear a cover over my gruesome maw when I go in public. Until I sit to eat.
Dale is right only in relation to his location from left and center.
My Dear Mr. Dale, I believe you left off a qualifier in your statement: “Science says immune system health is bolstered by exposure to one another (chicken pox parties?)” — you omitted “for those who survive.”
Your herd immunity paradigm only works if we are willing to pay the Darwin tax of thinning the herd to only the strongest. That just doesn’t jive with my pro-life values.
Mask mandates unconstitutional? Nice try but check again, John Dale.
https://www.newsweek.com/fact-check-mask-mandate-unconstitutional-1542465#:~:text=Mask mandates are not unconstitutional as we’ve seen,found that mask mandates are a justified measure.
John dale–Throw a republican fund raiser covid 19 party. Test your theory. Invite grudznick.