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Politics

Georgia representative self-quarantined because of coronavirus

March 16, 2020 - Atlanta - Senate members and staff confer before the vote. Georgia lawmakers gathered in an extraordinary special session on Monday and voted to grant Gov. Brian Kemp sweeping new powers to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. It's the first time in state history a governor has declared a public health emergency, and Kemp cast it as essential to deploy all available resources to contain a disease that's sickened dozens of Georgians and has killed one. Bob Andres / robert.andres@ajc.com

Credit: Bob Andres

Credit: Bob Andres

March 16, 2020 - Atlanta - Senate members and staff confer before the vote. Georgia lawmakers gathered in an extraordinary special session on Monday and voted to grant Gov. Brian Kemp sweeping new powers to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. It's the first time in state history a governor has declared a public health emergency, and Kemp cast it as essential to deploy all available resources to contain a disease that's sickened dozens of Georgians and has killed one. Bob Andres / robert.andres@ajc.com
By Mark Niesse and
March 16, 2020

A Georgia state representative is self-quarantined at home after being exposed to someone who tested positive for the coronavirus.

The identity of the representative wasn't immediately disclosed Monday.

About 40 legislators were absent from a special legislative session Monday to give Gov. Brian Kemp new powers to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, a significantly higher number than normal.

Kaleb McMichen, a spokesman for House Speaker David Ralston, said the representative voluntarily went into quarantine and didn't attend Monday's session.

The representative is the second Georgia politician who went into self-quarantine after being potentially exposed to someone with the illness.

U.S. Rep. Doug Collins, R-Gainesville, isolated himself last Monday after he was informed he interacted with someone with the disease weeks earlier at a conservative conference. His self-isolation ended Friday.

About the Authors

Mark Niesse is an enterprise reporter and covers elections and Georgia government for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is considered an expert on elections and voting. Before joining the AJC, he worked for The Associated Press in Atlanta, Honolulu and Montgomery, Alabama. He also reported for The Daily Report and The Santiago Times in Chile.

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Greg Bluestein is the Atlanta Journal Constitution's chief political reporter. He is also an author, TV analyst and co-host of the Politically Georgia podcast.

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