California lawmakers reportedly take trip to Hawaii for conference amid travel advisory, COVID-19 surge
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A group of California lawmakers reportedly took a work trip this week to Hawaii amid the ongoing pandemic, just days after the state issued a travel advisory firmly warning against non-essential and out-of-state travel.
The Sacramento Bee reports the unidentified group went for the Independent Voter Project's annual policy conference.
RELATED: Gov. Newsom says he shouldn't have attended birthday party at French Laundry amid COVID-19 surge
The state travel advisory urges people to stay close to home and, if they do leave California, to self-quarantine for two weeks when they return.
According to The Bee, the chairman and executive director for the Independent Voter Project said about 50 participants are in Hawaii this week, including fewer than 20 legislators from multiple states. He declined to say how many California lawmakers are in attendance but added that both Democrats and Republicans are there.
Gov. Gavin Newsom was criticized last week for attending a birthday celebration at French Laundry in Napa County. The party reportedly had 12 or more people from different households. It's the type of gathering Governor Newsom has been imploring Californians to avoid.
The governor later issued a statement saying, "While our family followed the restaurant's health protocols and took safety precautions, we should have modeled better behavior and not joined the dinner."
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