Arkansas judge blocks state from enforcing mask mandate ban

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By ANDREW DeMILLO

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — An Arkansas judge on Friday temporarily blocked the state from enforcing its ban on mask mandates after lawmakers left the prohibition in place despite a rising number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.

Pulaski County Circuit Judge Tim Fox issued a preliminary injunction against the law that Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed in April banning mask requirements by governmental entities. The ban was being challenged by two lawsuits, including one from an east Arkansas school district where more than 900 staff and students are quarantining because of a coronavirus outbreak.

Fox ruled against the measure on multiple grounds, including the argument that it discriminated between public and private schools.

The law “cannot be enforced in any shape, fashion or form” pending further court action, Fox said.



FILE - In this July 29, 2021 file photo, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson stands next to a chart displaying COVID-19 hospitalization data as he speaks at a news conference at the state Capitol in Little Rock, Ark. Arkansas lawmakers are leaving the state's mask mandate ban in place, ending a special session called to revisit the prohibition for schools because of the state's COVID-19 surge. The majority-Republican Legislature on Friday, Aug. 6, adjourned the session that GOP Gov. Hutchinson had called to consider rolling back the ban for some schools. (AP Photo/Andrew DeMillo)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/health-arkansas-coronavirus-pandemic-d79a14a84f0c7ba3bd6d8b3cf4039404

[SheltieLover]

1. Smart judge!

Over 900 kids & staff in quarantine in just 1 Arkansas school district.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100215708739

[catbyte]

2. Thank God for the Judicial Branch. They just keep holding our shaky democracy together.

[PortTack]

7. Indeed! Somebody's gotta save the kids

[Lovie777]

3. Geez, this is an ER . .. .

will republicans ask the US SC to intervene.

Jackasses.

[riversedge]

4. great call. It will save lives and hold off misery.

[SoCalDavidS]

5. Too Late

Damage has been done.

I'm not saying this isn't good news, just that any impact it will have is going to take weeks. The virus is already too active, and multiplying by the second.

And I'm guessing any mandate adopted will take time to implement.

August is a lost cause for them in Arkansas. At least perhaps September can be mitigated, but the only real mitigation is through vaccination.

[Patterson]

6. The POS who sponsored the Kid Killer bill is Trent Garner.

[twodogsbarking]

8. How long until they ban the ban on the ban of mask mandates.

[lark]

9. This really pisses me off that they placed mask bans for public school

but allow private schools to mandate them? Why, because all their kids are in private school? Can't they even see how murderous they are and it's on purpose to kill the working class.