BOISE — A bill to prohibit local government entities from imposing mask mandates cleared a House committee Wednesday.
Rep. Jacyn Gallagher, R-Weiser, sponsored HB 493 , which aims to prevent entities such as schools, cities, counties or health districts from requiring medical face masks for the purpose of preventing or slowing the spread of diseases.
The legislation wouldn’t impact hospitals or health care facilities, nor would it apply to “vocational settings” where face masks are “an integral and compulsory safety component of required job duties,” such as for working with hazardous materials or biohazards.
“This is, I guess, a personal sovereignty bill, a freedom bill, health freedom to make your own decisions, your own health decisions,” Gallagher told the House State Affairs Committee on Wednesday.
Co-sponsor Sen. Brian Lenney, R-Nampa, said the bill was brought forward in reaction to measures taken during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As we sit here today in 2024, it’s crystal clear to me, and I think to probably most of us in this room, if we admit it, that much of our COVID response was unscientific, unjustified and frankly absurd,” he said.