Republican state Sen. Buck Newton from North Carolina is working on legislation to repeal a COVID-era provision that allowed for the widespread use of masks for health and safety reasons. Masks were commonly used during the pandemic, but their effectiveness in preventing the spread of COVID-19 has been questioned. Newton introduced House Bill 237 to repeal this outdated law, stating that the pandemic is over and people are using masks for unlawful purposes, such as protests and intimidation.
The bill would remove exceptions for wearing masks to ensure the wearer’s or others’ safety in certain situations where mask removal is required by law. It also includes stricter penalties for protesters who block traffic and for individuals who commit crimes while wearing masks to conceal their identity.
Other states, like New York, are also considering reinstating mask bans that were lifted during the pandemic. The North Carolina bill is currently being reviewed by the state Senate Judiciary Committee and may be voted on soon.
