ONE PERSON INSIDE AT A TIME AND
SHE TRUSTED THEIR WORD, SALONS
ONLY REOPENED YESTERDAY, AND
ONLY FOR OUTDOOR SERVICES.
WE ARE HEARING FROM A STATE
LAWMAKER WHO MADE NATIONAL
HEADLINES FOR BRINGING HER
NEWBORN BABY TO THE CHAMBER, ON
THE FINAL NIGHT OF THE
LEGISLATIVE SESSION, ASSEMBLY
SPEAKER HAS NOW APOLOGIZED FOR
NOT LETTING ASSEMBLYWOMAN BUFFY
WICCS VOTE BY PROXY.
COLLEAGUES, IT IS GOOD TO
SEE YOU ALL, I WAS IN THE
MIDDLE OF A FEEDING MYYDAUGHTER
WHEN THIS BILL CAME UU.
Reporter: WHEN ASSEMBLYWOMAN
OF BUFFY WICKS WENT TO CAST
YOUR VOTE MONDAY NIGHT, HER
NEWBORN BABY STOLE THE SHOW.
I STRONGLY BELIEVE WE NEED
TO PASS THIS BILL, WE ARE 3.5
MILLION HOMES SHY OF WHERE WE
NEED TO BE IN THE STATE.
AND ELLIE AGREES.
Reporter: SHE HAD BEEN ON
MATERNITY LEAVE AFTER RECENTTY
GIVING BIRTH, BUT WAS FORCED TO
RETURN AFTER HER REQUEST TO
VOTE BY PROXY WAS DENIED
BECAUSE SHE WASN'T CONSIDERED
AT HIGH RISK OF CATCHING COVID-
19.
MY DAUGHTER IS FOUR WEEKS
OLD, I HAD A C-SECTION, SO, I
WAS RECOVERING FROM THAT,
OBVIOUSLY NEWBORNS HAVE VERY
COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEMS.
Reporter: WITH A COVID-19
OUTBREAK IN THE SENATE LAST
WEEK, SHE WAS OBVIOUSLY
CONCERNED FOR HER HEALTH AND
HER BABY'S
MATERNITY LEAVE DOES NOT
QUALIFY, I WOULD EITHER HAVE TO
STAY HOME AND NOT VOTE OR HAVE
ENOUGH TO COME TO THE CAPITOL.
THERE WAS NO GOOD CHOICE, IT
FELT LIKE.
Reporter: SHE STATED HER
OFFICE UNTIL THE BOAT CAME UP,
WHICH HAPPENED TO BE IN THE
MIDDLE OF LITTLE ELLIE'S
FEEDING.
I DETACHED HER FROM ME AND I
GRABBED HER IN MY ARMS, THREW A
BLANKET OVER HER TO TRY TO
PROTECT HER FROMMTHE AIR AND
RAN TWO FLIGHTS DOWN THE
STAIRS, RAN ONTO THE FLOOR TO
SPEAK ON THE BILL.
Reporter: ANTHONY RENDON OF
LAKEWOOD ISSUED AN APOLOGY,
SAYING, IN PART, MY INTENTION
WAS NEVER TO BE INCONSIDERATE
TOWARD HER, HER ROLE AS A
LEGISLATOR, OR HER ROLE AS A
MOTHER.
WWILE THE BILL DIDN'T ADVANCE,
SHE IS USING THIS MOMENT TO
ADDRESS, NOT THE ELEPHANT IN
THE ROOM, BUT RATHER, THE BABY.
MY HOPE IS THATT COMING OUT
OF THIS, IT IS A BROADER
CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE ARE
TREATING FAMILIES, NEW MOMS.
THE HOUSING BILL THAT
