PENNSYLVANIA, USA — A bill that would allow parents in Pennsylvania to exempt their children from wearing a mask at school has cleared a state Senate committee as Republican lawmakers work to counter the governor’s statewide mask mandate.
The legislation would hand the ultimate decision on masking at school to parents and guardians. It would allow them to overrule any face-covering mandate imposed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, a local health department, or a school board.
Republican State Senator Doug Mastriano is the primary sponsor of the bill along with multiple state senators including Republican Senator Judy Ward. Senator Ward of District 30 has said parents have been greatly bothered by the Wolf Administration's current mask mandate.
"My office has been overwhelmed with calls and emails from parents so upset with the masking mandates from the Wolf administration and from our own school districts," said Ward.
Governor Tom Wolf's office of communication has said he opposes the legislation and has responded in a statement:
"The bill supporters' efforts would better serve their constituents and the commonwealth as a whole by focusing on increasing the vaccination rates within their legislative districts instead of working on this unnecessary legislation," said Wolf's spokesperson, Lyndsay Kensinger.
"We need Republicans to stop spending their time undermining public health and instead encourage people to get vaccinated."
The efforts by the senate's education committee do come as Pfizer had announced its request for emergency use authorization for its vaccine in children in the coming weeks.
Some health experts have weighed in on the matter saying the process could take weeks, therefore, the vaccines may not be available until November.
The CDC has reported children under the age of 18 currently makeup 26% of new infections.
The Senate Education Committee approved the bill on a party-line vote. It would have to pass the full Senate and the House before going to Democratic Gov. Wolf, who would almost certainly veto it.