Democrat says he got COVID-19 at session
Tennessee House member Beck blames other legislators for failing to follow public health rules
“I will be shocked if I am the only member who caught COVID-19 while attending a special session.”
– STATE REP. BILL BECK OF NASHVILLE
A Democratic House member said he believes he contracted COVID-19 at Tennessee’s recent special legislative session, blaming other legislators who “failed” to follow proper public health protocols and saying the gathering of lawmakers was unnecessary.
Rep. Bill Beck of Nashville on Thursday announced in a statement that he had tested positive for the virus on Tuesday after beginning to experience symptoms Monday.
Those symptoms emerged 11 days after the conclusion of the Aug. 10-12 special session — within the typical two-week incubation period for the virus.
Beck is at least the fourth House member to report testing positive for the virus.
He said he wore a mask and followed medical guidelines throughout the session, as he has since spring.
“Unfortunately, staying safe is a group effort and the General Assembly as a whole failed to follow the medical advice of wearing a mask and social distancing while in Nashville for the special session,” Beck said.
Without pointing specifically to
Republicans, Beck also criticized legislative leadership for holding the special session in the first place, lambasting them for passing bills that impose harsher penalties on certain protesters and provide coronavirus lawsuit immunity for businesses.
The legislature had already completed its “essential business” in June, Beck said.
“I and many others said this special session was unnecessary and highly risky,” he said. “We have been proven right on both accounts. I will be shocked if I am the only member who caught COVID-19 while attending a special session.”
A limited number of members of
the public were permitted to attend House proceedings during the special session, though the Senate prohibited visitors.
In a statement Thursday, a spokesman for House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, said they wish Beck well and pray he recovers quickly. Spokesman Doug Kufner, noting that Beck had “self-identified,” said contact tracing within the legislature “is not necessary in his situation” because Beck said he had not been in the building since Aug. 12.
“Speaker Sexton encourages everyone to continue taking reasonable precautions to protect themselves and others including testing if they have been exposed, as well as using masks in public,” Kufner said.
Rep. Mike Carter, R-Ooltewah, told colleagues Wednesday he had just been released from Erlanger Hospital, where he spent more than a week in the intensive care unit with COVID-19.
House Minority Leader Karen Camper, D-Memphis, left in the middle of special session after coming down with COVID-19 symptoms. Camper tested positive for the virus.
Rep. Kent Calfee, R-Kingston, was the first lawmaker to report contracting the virus in July, though he said this week while attending committee meetings at the legislature that he continues to improve.
Rep. Glen Casada, R-Franklin, said he did not attend the session because he had been exposed to COVID-19, but declined to say whether he had tested positive.
One other legislative member who attended special session and was widely rumored to have contracted the virus has not responded to requests for comment.
House Democratic Caucus spokesman Ken Jobe said some Democratic staff members have taken coronavirus tests as a precaution.
According to legislative administration director Connie Ridley, as of Thursday, a total of 15 members and staff have tested positive for coronavirus since May.
Reach Natalie Allison at nallison@tennessean. com. Follow her on Twitter at @natalie_allison.