Georgia Governor Bans Mayors From Mandating Masks Amid COVID-19 Surge
Keeping true to his promise of not making face coverings mandatory in the state, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp is now banning mayors from mandating masks in their cities and counties despite a COVID-19 surge throughout the state.
Kemp’s recent executive order has revised and extended guidelines implemented at the start of the pandemic — which encourages, but doesn’t require resident to wear masks or face coverings while in public. The news arrives after the state reported 3,871 new cases and 37 deaths on Wednesday, the second-highest total since the beginning of the pandemic. In total, the state’s seen more than 127,838 cases and 3,091 deaths.
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In part, Kemp’s order — which blocks local governments from taking more restrictive steps than the state — says, “State, county, or municipal law, order, ordinance, rule, or regulation that requires persons to wear face coverings, masks, face shields, or any other Personal Protective Equipment while in places of public accommodation or on public property are suspended to the extent that they are more restrictive than this Executive Order.”
Furthermore, the governor’s Communications Director, and Chief Deputy Executive Counsel Candice Broce adds, “Previous executive orders – and now this order – state no local action can be more or less restrictive than ours. We have explained that local mask mandates are unenforceable. The Governor continues to strongly encourage Georgians to wear masks in public.”
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