Mask mandates overturned as Utah House approves resolution, 45-29

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (KUTV) — Mask mandates in Salt Lake and Summit counties are no more after the Utah House of Representatives voted Friday to approve a resolution overturning the orders.

The vote on Senate Joint Resolution 3, 45 to 29, came after House Republicans met in a closed-door caucus Friday morning. Several Republicans joined Democrats in voting against it. The Senate had passed the measure three days earlier on the first day of the legislative session.

Friday's vote also came after House leaders pushed the Salt Lake County Council Thursday to overturn the order themselves.

Senate President Stuart Adams (R-Layton) signed the resolution in front of reporters just before 12:30 p.m. Friday after receiving it from the House, making it official. Because it is a joint resolution, it does not go to the governor.

House debates the resolution

The resolution had stalled in the House for several days after passing the Senate. But late Thursday, Rep. Candice Pierucci (R-Herriman) signed on as a sponsor. Sen. Dan McCay (R-Riverton) sponsored it in the Senate. It passed both legislative bodies without a public hearing as other bills and resolutions usually receive.

"I understand that people are looking for ways to try and combat this Omicron surge. I understand that many people want to bring about an end to this pandemic. We all do," Pierucci said during the House debate. "That said, doing something for the sake of doing something is not a good enough justification for a government mandate."

That sentiment was echoed by other lawmakers including Rep. Jordan Teuscher (R-South Jordan), who argued mandates are "counterproductive" and "divisive."

"If we continue to try to force people to make good decisions, we're going to get more backlash from people on those decisions," Teuscher said.

During the House debate, Democrats criticized the resolution.

"The people in my district are asking that we utilize every tool that we have" to manage the COVID-19 pandemic," said Rep. Ashlee Matthews (D-Kearns), arguing the removal of the mandates would most directly impact working-class people who have to congregate around others for their jobs.

Rep. Carol Spackman Moss (D-Holladay), who said she has lost both her husband and mother to COVID-19 over the last few months, questioned why Republicans pushed to overturn local decisions.

"As long as I’ve been here, I’ve heard two words – it’s like a mantra – local control," Spackman Moss said. "What happened to that? I don’t understand the contradiction now."

The Salt Lake County mask order took effect January 8, while the Summit County order took effect a day earlier. Under a process set up by the Utah Legislature last year, lawmakers have the power to overturn mask mandates issued by county health departments.

House leadership put 'pressure' on county council

Salt Lake County Councilwoman Aimee Winder Newton, who voted with other councilmembers January 13 to uphold the mandate, reacted following Friday's vote.

"It’s disappointing to see the Legislature overturn a health order," Winder Newton said. "As a Republican, I believe firmly in local control as a principle."

Winder Newton told KUTV 2News she and other Salt Lake County Council members met with House Speaker Brad Wilson (R-Kaysville) and House Majority Leader Mike Schultz (R-Hooper) Thursday as the mask mandate issue remained in limbo in the House.

"There was some pressure put on us to overturn our mask mandate as a county," Winder Newton said. "Those of us who supported it feel strongly that we’re doing what’s in the best interests of our constituents and public health overall, and so we declined."

Winder Newton added, "I’m sure it wasn’t a pleasant experience for them to have to vote on that, but it’s the process that they laid out, and we were just following the process."

House GOP spokesperson Alexa Roberts said Wilson and Schultz weren't available Friday afternoon to speak about the meeting, but she acknowledged it took place.

"We did meet earlier in the week with Salt Lake County Council members to better understand their perspective and how they reached their decision," Roberts told KUTV 2News.

Health department directors react

Dr. Angela Dunn, Salt Lake County Health Department executive director, blasted the Legislature’s action earlier this week, saying public health leaders feel “like we get punched in the gut every time we try to protect our citizens.”

Following the House vote Friday, Dunn released another statement encouraging Utahns to mask up.

“Effectively protecting our most vulnerable community members—and ensuring that our businesses and essential services have the staff necessary to operate—requires layering our various prevention tools," Dunn said. "This includes being up to date on vaccine, staying home when ill, and wearing a respirator mask in public during this surge. We encourage Salt Lake County residents and visitors to do these things, regardless of whether or not a mandate is in place.”

Summit County Health director, Dr. Phil Bondurant, also responded to the Legislature's overturning of the mask orders.

"I remain firm in my belief that the actions taken by Summit County and the Summit County Health Department over the last two years have saved lives," Bondurant said in a statement. "Although the outcome of the vote regarding SJR003 provides a different direction than our Public Health Order, I still believe the action taken to require masks in public places, including schools, was the right one for Summit County."

The current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance recommends mask wearing as a protection against all variants of the coronavirus.

Gov. Cox: It's a 'dumb fight'

In an interview on KSL Newsradio's "Let Me Speak To The Governor" show Friday, Gov. Spencer Cox discussed the issue of mask mandates and his doubts about their efficacy amid the Omicron surge.

But the governor indicated he wasn't necessarily thrilled with the Legislature's vote this week to overturn the two orders.

“Why the Legislature felt like they needed to weigh in when there’s only a couple weeks left for this mask mandate, I can’t speak for them and I’m not going to speak for them," Cox said. "It probably would have been fine and would have gone away after a couple weeks anyway, but that’s the decision they made."

But, the governor added, "I’m so done with these fightsIt’s a dumb fight to be having right now."