[[{“value”:”Anyone who wears a mask in public is prohibited from doing so in the Republican-led North Carolina state Senate.
The proposed legislation, according to the Associated Press, would yet “interject masks” for “public health reasons.”
The amended version of House Bill 237 passed in a 30 to 15 party- line vote.
The North Carolina State Senate recently approved banning the use of masks in public settings. pic. twitter.com/sXVblIVIQ4
— Ian Jaeger ( @IanJaeger29 ) May 17, 2024
The contentious bill, which would also increase criminal penalties for those who commit crimes while wearing a mask in common, comes in response to protests that have erupted on college campuses across the country in response to the Israel-Hamas conflict, according to NC Newsline.
On Wednesday, the state Senate in North Carolina voted along party lines to outlaw anyone who wears a mask in open, also for health reasons. https: //t. co/wn8DtgMV94 pic. twitter.com/C0GK9vzJI7
— WAVY TV 10 ( @WAVY_News ) May 17, 2024
From the Associated Press:
For safety reasons, opponents of the bill claim that it risks the health of those masking. However, those who support the bill claim that it is necessary in response to the demonstrations, including those at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which resulted in arrests and police clashes. The bill more criminalizes the blocking of roads or emergency vehicles during pro-Palestine demonstrations in Raleigh and Durham.
” It’s about time that the craziness is put, at least slowed down, if not put to a stop”, Wilson County Republican Sen. Buck Newton, who presented the bill, said on the Senate floor Wednesday.
The bill’s removal of health and safety exemptions for wearing a mask in public has fueled the majority of the criticism of the bill. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the health exemption was added along generally republican lines.
Democrat lawmakers expressed outrage over the bill’s passage.
” It’s unconscionable”, said Sen. Lisa Grafstein ( D- Wake ), according to WRAL News.
” Is it really that you find concealed chemo patients that intimidating? You become incredibly furious at some of them, right? Or is it more probable that this is to be motivated by a desire to win some political points with the anti-mask crowd while holding elections for the benefit of less-vulnerable people? Sen. Natasha Marcus ( D- Mecklenburg ) questioned.
North Carolina state Senate votes to ban all face masks in common, including for medical reasonshttps: //t. co/Co2KSC9G5a pic. twitter.com/jw3s47yv1M
— The Washington Times ( @WashTimes ) May 17, 2024
Before being sent to Democrat Gov., the bill must also pass the GOP-controlled state House. Roy Cooper.
WRAL News reports:
To protect those who want to wear masks for health reasons, Democrat lawmakers proposed various modifications to the anti-mask bill. Republicans shot each of those proposals over, without explaining their opposition.
Sen. Sydney Batch, D- Wake, is a cancer survivor. She described how her husband and kids wore masks to keep her safe while she was receiving treatment and that she had a weakened immune system as a result.
” This bill criminalizes their behavior, and mine”, she said. ” … We talk a lot about freedoms in this chamber. I hear it all the time. Without fear of being detained or charged, my husband and my children should both have the freedom to wear masks to protect and save my life.
According to Batch and Grafstein, they each proposed changes to the bill that would allow police to retaliate against veiled protesters and restore legal protections for those who wear masks for public health reasons.
Sen. Jay Chaudhuri, a second Wake County Democrat, suggested changing the law to prevent hate groups from being able to wear masks in public, which the law already allows them to petition for. He particularly mentioned the Ku Klux Klan and Proud Boys. Additionally, his amendment would have required state law enforcement to do more to track hate groups. Like the other amendments, Democratic lawmakers shot it down with no debate or explanation.
Read House Bill 237 HERE.”}]] [[{“value”:”
The Republican-led North Carolina State Senate voted to ban masks from being worn in public.
According to Associated Press, proposed legislation would ban wearing masks “in public for health reasons”.
The amended version passed 30 to 15 on a party-line vote.
BREAKING: The North Carolina State Senate just voted to ban masks in public. pic.twitter.com/sXVblIVIQ4
— Ian Jaeger (@IanJaeger29) May 17, 2024
NC Newsline reports that “the controversial bill, which also increases criminal penalties for those who are caught committing crimes while wearing a face mask in public, is a response to the protests on college campuses in response to the Israel/Hamas conflict.”
The North Carolina state Senate voted along party lines Wednesday to ban anyone from wearing masks in public, even for health reasons.https://t.co/wn8DtgMV94 pic.twitter.com/C0GK9vzJI7
WAVY TV 10 May 17, 2024 (@WAVY_News).
The Associated Press:
Opponents of this bill claim that it puts the health of those who wear masks for safety at risk. Those who support the legislation claim it is a necessary response to demonstrations such as those at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, which escalated into police clashes. The bill criminalizes blocking roads or emergency vehicles as a protest. This has happened during pro-Palestinian rallies in Raleigh and Durham.
Buck Newton, the Wilson County Republican Senator who introduced the bill, said Wednesday on the Senate floor: “It is about time the craziness was put, if not stopped, then at least slowed.”
The main criticism of the bill is the removal of exemptions for health and safety when wearing a mask out in public. The health exemption was added to the COVID-19 pandemic at the beginning, largely on a bipartisan basis.
Democrat lawmakers were outraged by the bill’s passage.
According to WRAL News, Sen. Lisa Grafstein (D-Wake) said “It is unconscionable”.
“Do you really find masked chemo-patients that threatening?” You’re really angry about something? Or is it more likely a desire to score political points with the anti-mask group during an election year at the expense vulnerable people?” asked Sen. Natasha Marcus, D-Mecklenburg.
North Carolina state Senate votes to ban all face masks in public, including for medical reasonshttps://t.co/Co2KSC9G5a pic.twitter.com/jw3s47yv1M
The Washington Times (@WashTimes), May 17, 2024
The bill must pass both the GOP-controlled state House and the Democrat Governor before it can be sent to him. Roy Cooper.
WRAL News reports
Democratic lawmakers proposed different ways of amending the anti-mask legislation to protect people who wish to wear masks due to health concerns. Republicans rejected each of these proposals without explaining their opposition.
Sen. Sydney Batch is a cancer-survivor. She talked about how her children and husband wore masks while she was receiving treatment, and that it weakened her immune system.
“This bill criminalizes both their and my behavior,” she said. “… This chamber is full of freedoms. I hear this all the time. “I should be able to wear masks to protect myself and save my own life without fear of being charged or arrested.”
Both Batch and Grafstein proposed amendments to the bill that would give police the authority Republicans want to crackdown on masked demonstrators, but also add legal protections to people who wear masks out of public health reasons.
Sen. Jay Chaudhuri of Wake County, a third Wake County Democrat who is a Democrat, proposed amending this bill to prohibit hate groups – he specifically mentioned Ku Klux Klan, and Proud Boys – from wearing masks in public. The law currently allows these groups to petition. His amendment would have also required state law enforcement officials to do more in tracking hate groups. The Republican lawmakers voted down this amendment without any debate or explanation.
Read House Bill 237 HERE.
“}]]
