House District 84 Representative Joe Mitchell (R) says legislators are being paid to show up to work at the state Capitol, though several House members have not been able to participate in legislative business because of being in quarantine or testing positive for COVID-19.

A Democratic representative wore jeans in the House chamber last week to test House Speaker Pat Grassley’s claims that he would not be able to enforce a mask mandate in the House. The House chamber rules that were approved by Republican leaders also don’t allow lawmakers to vote virtually in hearings or on the House floor. Representative Mitchell comments on the dress code violation, “The jean ban has been in place for 150 years, since we’ve had a state, right? You know a mask mandate has not been in place for 150 years and so that’s protocol on the House floor, that was the Speaker’s decision.”

Mitchell stated that most lawmakers do wear face masks and he encourages those visiting the Capitol to wear one as well. He doesn’t believe that the Iowa State Patrol should be escorting those out of the statehouse for not wearing a mask. When asked whether constituents would think it’s okay for salaried lawmakers to be kept from voting on legislation because of COVID-19 quarantine, Mitchell says that’s up for them to decide in the next general election.