Lawyer Bobbie Anne Cox to Discuss Quarantine Camps at RRC Meeting

On Thursday, February 26 at 7 p.m., attorney Bobbie Anne Cox will make a presentation to the Rockaway Republican Club meeting in the Belle Harbor Yacht Club. Ms. Cox will discuss the ongoing legal battle to prevent “quarantine camps” in New York State.

Since 1953, New York State law had been that in order for a person to be quarantined for fear of communicable disease, a doctor must make the diagnosis and you must be re-assessed within 72 hours. Also, the state must find the least restrictive way to keep you from being a danger to others, like keeping you at or close to home.

That changed in 2022 when Governor Hochul enacted Rule 2.13. Under this regulation, any­one suspected of having been exposed to a communicable disease could be quarantined by a public health official, who is not required to be a doctor. No proof of infection is required. The detained person can be placed anywhere in New York. There was no due process or mechanism for ending the quarantine.

Attorney Bobbie Anne Cox stepped up and sued the State of New York. Her initial victory was dramatic. Supreme Court Judge Ronald Ploetz called the rule “a severe deprivation of individual liberty, far more egregious than other health safety measures.” The rule merely gives “lip service” to Constitutional due process.

Unfortunately, Governor Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James appealed the decision. The Appellate Division overturned the Trial Court’s ruling, holding that the plaintiffs lacked standing to bring the case in the first place. Will these quarantine rules become the norm in New York?

Join the Rockaway Republican Club and Ms. Cox for an update on the case and a discussion of the constitutional issues at play.

The RRC meeting will take place just after petitioning begins for the 2026 elections. To qualify for the ballot, a Republican must collection a specific number of signatures from Republicans who live in the district. For the State Assembly –Tom Sullivan has announced his candidacy– a candidate must collect 500 signatures. However, given the legal games that New York is infamous for, it is wise to collect three times the minimum. Mr. Sullivan will also be speaking at the February 26 meeting.

The RRC’s April meeting will be a “Candidates Night.” The club has invited numerous candidates for the State Assembly, Attorney General, Governor, and US Congress to make their pitch to Rockaway. For more information or to join, go to https://is.gd/TYThML.