The Utah legislature passed a measure on Wednesday prohibiting public schools and universities from requiring masks in the next school year.
Earlier this year, 30-40 parents in their Granite School District got so heated during a board meeting that police were called on them.
The Associated Press reports that bill sponsor Rep. Val Peterson said “county officials would still be able to invoke mask orders in consultation with local health officials in schools that have coronavirus outbreaks. The legislation only applies to COVID-19 and would not prevent people from wearing face coverings.”
“At some point this has to end,” Peterson said. “What this bill is really about is making sure we have those assurances to our students that they can go forward next fall and get right into the school year without the thought of masks and what that might mean.”
Last week, Republican Gov. Spencer Cox announced that the state will not require masks in K-12 schools for the last week of the school year — meaning kids will finally get to see their friends faces.