As legislators consider whether they will have to return to Juneau to ratify the CARES Act expenditures approved by the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee, they are receiving rules from their leadership.
Part of those includes mandatory screening before they are allowed in the Capitol, and they will be required to wear a compliance sticker while in the Capitol.
Not everyone is wild about those rules. Rep. Ben Carpenter of Kenai, replied to a memo from Bryce Edgmon’s office, saying that he wanted to know what would be involved in the screening and, sarcastically, if the stickers would be in the shape of a Yellow Star of David. He was making a point about constitutional rights.
Rep. Grier Hopkins of Fairbanks was not amused. He scolded on a group email.
Rep. Sarah Vance responded that it’s not a joke. “we should all be concerned about the implications of being labeled noncompliant or wearing a badge of compliance.”
Is forcing people to wear stickers a violation of civil rights or people’s medical privacy? Readers are invited to respond.
