Sen. Brian Jones Of Santee Tests Positive For Coronavirus

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA — California Sen. Brian W. Jones of Santee has tested positive for the coronavirus.

The Republican senator received the news Wednesday morning when he returned to Sacramento, his office announced on Twitter. Jones, who was wearing a face mask Monday on the Senate floor, did not disclose when he was tested or if he had symptoms.

"He will be taking additional tests to recheck the results and to rule out possibility of a false-positive result," his office said. "In the meantime, he'll be following CDC and CDPH protocols for those receiving a positive test result."

The Senate was scheduled to hold a floor session at 10 a.m. Wednesday, but Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, canceled the meeting after receiving the news that "a member of the Senate family" had tested positive for COVID-19.

"The Senate will be prepared to continue our work when we have completed public health protocols to ensure that the risk of exposure has been eliminated," she said on Twitter.

The Senate has allowed members to vote remotely from their district offices on bills during committee hearings, but required senators to travel to Sacramento for floor sessions scheduled during the last two weeks, when final votes are cast.

Jones represents the 38th District, which encompasses most of inland San Diego County. He previously served on the Santee City Council.

The Assembly was continuing to meet Wednesday afternoon. Two Assembly members tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this summer, prompting a two-week extension of their regular recess in July.

City News Service contributed to this report.