Governors and legislators in Florida, North Dakota, Arizona, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, Arkansas, Montana and Iowa have all eliminated state mask mandates recently. When other state governors have refused to rescind mask mandates, legislators are doing it for them.
Wisconsin State Senator Steve Nass is calling for a legislative session to overturn Gov. Tony Evers’ new face-covering mandate.
https://www.tmj4.com/news/coronavirus/state-sen-nass-calls-for-legislative-session-to-stop-gov-evers-new-face-covering-mandate
Wisconsin Supreme Court rules mask mandate invalid, scales back governor’s ability to issue health orders.
“In a 4-3 decision, conservative justices in the majority declared the statewide mask mandate invalid and ruled Evers exceeded his authority in issuing multiple emergency declarations over the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Evers used the emergency orders to require face coverings be worn indoors statewide after lawmakers opted not to.”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/wisconsin-supreme-court-rules-mask-mandate-invalid-scales-back-governors-ability-to-issue-health-orders/ar-BB1faiW1
Kansas State Senate President Ty Masterson says the legislature will act to remove “unnecessary” new mask mandates.
“I applaud Governor Kelly for signing SB 40, which reforms the Kansas Emergency Management Act by providing Kansans due process rights, limiting the governor’s powers, ensuring the buck stops with elected officials, and instituting critical checks and balances,” he said. “Accordingly, should the governor issue any new executive order which imposes an undue burden on the people of Kansas, including an unnecessary new mask mandate, rest assured the Senate will take immediate action once we receive the order.”
https://www.kwch.com/2021/03/25/republican-legislative-leaders-take-aim-at-governors-plan-to-re-issue-mask-order/
Republican lawmaker introduces legislation to remove Ohio’s mask mandate.
“Rep. Jena Powell, R-Arcanum, said Thursday that she plans to introduce new legislation next week to remove statewide mask mandates in Ohio. This comes as several other states have announced they too would do away with mask mandates.”
In a letter to Gov. Mike DeWine and other state officials, Powell says “it is past time to allow Ohioans to choose for themselves whether or not to wear a mask. My bill supports individual freedom, and allows Ohioans to make the choice of whether or not they voluntarily want to wear a mask.”
https://www.wlwt.com/article/republican-lawmaker-introduces-legislation-to-remove-ohios-mask-mandate/35738675#
Idaho House panel approves prohibition on mask mandates.
https://apnews.com/article/bills-legislation-coronavirus-pandemic-idaho-4adb8e9eb9d00d87ffe77ec9bdb74870Kentucky House lays out which COVID-19 orders it would keep. Masks aren’t one of them.
As a legal case over Gov. Andy Beshear’s executive powers moves through the Kentucky courts system, the Kentucky General Assembly is moving legislation that says which of his executive orders and regulations dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic that it would — and wouldn’t — extend.https://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article249865233.html
Texas Governor Greg Abbott Ends Statewide Mask Mandate, Opens State 100%
Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s announcement ending the 8-month-long statewide mask mandate and opening up Texas 100% makes it the largest state to lift orders intended to prevent spread of COVID-19. “Under no circumstances can a county judge put anyone in jail for not following COVID orders and no penalties can be imposed for failing to wear a face mask,” said Gov. Abbott.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/texas-governor-greg-abbott-ends-statewide-mask-mandate-opens-state-100-25/ar-BB1eadbL
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has pushed through a measure banning local cities from enforcing mask mandates.
He continues to maintain his position that mask-wearing should be voluntary. “This has to be voluntarily because the Constitution is not suspended just because there is a virus,” DeSantis said.
https://miami.cbslocal.com/2020/06/19/florida-governor-ron-desantis-says-masks-should-be-voluntary/
As noted by Jonathan Sumption in his February 15, 2021, Telegraph commentary “…there will always be other epidemics and pandemics.
An epidemic of Ebola, with a death rate of 50%, for example, might qualify. However, COVID-19 is nowhere near that serious a threat. As noted by Sumption, COVID-19 “is well within the range of perils which we have always had to live with, and always will.”
Data5 show the overall non-institutionalized infection fatality ratio is 0.26%. People under the age of 40 have a mere 0.01% risk of dying from the infection. The vast majority that test positive for SARS-CoV-2 have no symptoms at all, and most do not get seriously ill.