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New Bill Would Ban Or Limit Mask Mandates In Ohio’s Schools And Businesses
By: Jo Ingles | Statehouse News Bureau
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — Ohio’s COVID-19 rates are on an upward trend, and less than half of the state’s residents have been vaccinated. Still, some lawmakers want to make sure Ohioans who don’t want to get vaccinated or don’t want to wear masks won’t feel compelled to do so. The latest bill would keep schools and businesses from requiring masks for entry.
Republican Sen. Andrew Brenner’s (R-Delaware) bill (SB 209) would ban public schools and colleges from requiring masks in their buildings. Only local health departments could issue mask orders. And Brenner said businesses that require masks would have to make exceptions for people who have medical conditions.
“I have had too many constituent complaints, including people in wheelchairs and so forth who are not supposed to be wearing masks being told by businesses that they cannot enter those facilities without a mask on, even if they had a medical exception. That’s ridiculous,” Brenner said.
Ohio’s statewide mask mandate expired June 2nd and Gov. Mike DeWine said he is not interested in resurrecting it now.