California legislature suffers mass absence following COVID-19 exposure at going away party

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California has suffered a health crisis in the legislature as nearly three dozen lawmakers missed Thursday’s session following possible COVID-19 exposure. 

The Assembly reported 27 absences out of 80 members, but a representative insisted that at least half of the absences had been requested earlier in the week and had no relation to the Tuesday event. A representative for the Senate said 8 of its 40 members were absent, with only some related to a COVID exposure. 

FILE - In this June 16, 2020, file photo, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, D-Lakewood, urges lawmakers to approve the state budget bill, at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif.  (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

Some lawmakers had attended a going-away party earlier this week for former Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, at a downtown Sacramento Hotel, FOX 40 reported. Sen. Josh Becker, D-Menlo Park, tested positive for COVID-19 Wednesday morning, and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, D-Lakewood, was among those missing from Thursday’s session. 

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"Certainly there were some people that had to quarantine because they were exposed to me," Becker told CalMatters.

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Becker told the Sacramento Bee that he was wearing an N95 mask and tested negative prior to the event. 

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"I’m glad I attended the event wearing an N95 mask and that I tested negative each day since Sunday," Becker said. "I tested daily as a precaution with our return to session this week. In fact, on Tuesday I tested negative that morning and tested negative again, right before attending."

Gonzalez herself, who announced her resignation on Monday, tweeted Thursday that she is at home and tested negative. 

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"I will follow CDC guidelines & continue to test," she wrote.