State Representative Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) was booted from the Illinois House on Wednesday after refusing to wear a face covering during the first of three House sessions.

The House vote to remove Bailey from session at the Bank of Springfield center Wednesday afternoon came after he refused to comply with a facial-covering requirement which had just been adopted in House rules.

In a bipartisan vote, the Illinois House adopted rules on Wednesday that included a requirement for members, staff members and visitors to the special session to wear a face-covering over their nose and mouth, if they are medically able to do so.

Democratic Rep. Chris Welch of Westchester made a motion to remove Bailey from the House proceedings after Bailey responded “I will not,” when he was asked to come into compliance with the face covering requirement in the newly-adopted rules. The House voted 81-27 in favor of Bailey’s removal.

“It’s time to put an end to this stuff and say enough is enough,” Bailey told reporters after being escorted out.

Asked about Bailey’s removal during his COVID-19 briefing, Pritzker called Bailey’s decision to “a callous disregard for life, callous disregard for people’s health.”

Prior to the vote on the new House rules, Representative Bailey said all of his recommendations for the new rules, dealing with transparency and accountability, were ignored.   He then talked about the facemask rule.