On Wednesday, the House Health Committee advanced a bill to prohibit any governmental entities and the State Health Officer from imposing mask mandates.
House Bill 158 (HB158), sponsored by State Rep. Brock Colvin (R-Albertville), would "prohibit governmental entities and the State Health Officer from imposing any face mask mandates to prevent the spread of COVID-19 or any variant of COVID-19."
"I guess there's some people out there in the world who think that government needs to be bigger and have more authority, and I just disagree," Colvin previously told 1819 News. "So I guess people who have that philosophical difference from me will give pushback. I think people are smart enough to make decisions for themselves when it comes to wearing a piece of cloth over their face or not."
Mask mandates were hotly debated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Governor Kay Ivey signed a mask mandate in July 2020, requiring Alabamians to be in the company of anyone not in their immediate household. She let that mandate expire in April 2021.
In recent months, reported rises in COVID nationwide have caused many to worry about whether or not the government might try to reinstitute strict protocols.
Colvin presented the bill before the House Health Committee on Wednesday.
"This bill does provide exceptions for facilities offering medical or dental services, and state and local detention facilities," Colvin told the committee.
Colvin accepted an amendment to the bill that would clarify that university practices, such as nursing clinical and medical and research labs, are exempt from the bill's provision.
State Rep. Laura Hall (D-Birmingham) asked Colvin why he believed the bill was necessary.
"Even after the pandemic, including now, I feel like every year there's a scare of people wondering is COVID going to come back, including some of the lockdowns we saw on the local, state and federal level," Colvin responded. "Really, what sparked my interest in this issue was I had students come up to me and ask me what the state could do in order to prevent having to go to school just in a classroom setting and worrying about having to wear a mask when they just want to go to school to learn. So, I'm really here today to stand up for those students."
He continued, "I do want to be clear: this bill does not prohibit in any way the private sector; this is just going after governmental entities."
Colvin clarified that the bill would apply to public schools but not private ones.
The bill ultimately passed with Hall as the only "nay" vote. HB 158 will go to the House floor for a full vote.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
Don't miss out! Subscribe to our newsletter and get our top stories every weekday morning.
