PHOENIX – A bill that would allow businesses in Arizona to decide whether or not to enforce a mask mandate passed out of the House Commerce Committee on a party line vote of 6-4 on Tuesday.
The bill, HB 2770, sponsored by Rep. Joseph Chaplik (R-23) and 21 cosponsors, including Reps. Barton (R-6), Biasiucci (R-5), Bolick (R-20), Burges (R-1), Carroll (R-22), Cobb (R-5), Cook (R-8), Dunn (R-13), Fillmore (R-16), Grantham (R-12), Griffin (R-14), Hoffman (R-12), Kaiser (R-15), Nguyen (R-1), Nutt (R-14), Parker (R-16), Payne (R-21), Pingerelli (R-21), Pratt (R-8), Toma (R-22), and Wilmeth (R-15), now advances to the whole House for consideration.
The one sentence bill reads: “Notwithstanding any other law, a business in this state is not required to enforce on its premises a mask mandate that is established by this state, a city, town or county or any other jurisdiction of this state.”
“Since introducing HB2770, I’ve heard from countless people who feel like their liberties are being stolen and being ordered to covered up their faces even when they are healthy,” said Chaplik in a press release. “Worse yet, business owners have been thrust into the unwanted role of ‘Mask Police’ on their customers, sometimes creating heated confrontations. This is not the role of government, and it’s certainly not the role of a business owner. Republicans seek to promote freedom, while Democrats try to restrict it from you.”
Due to the pandemic caused by COVID-19, many states, cities, towns and counties as well as other jurisdictions implemented mask mandates. Arizona has not enacted a state-wide mask mandate, but executive orders have required certain groups to wear masks.