Last week, the Virginia Senate approved a bill to ban mask mandates in schools. The legislation earned bipartisan support, with three Democrats voting to pass the bill to permanently protect the right of parents to decide whether or not their child wears a mask in school.
SB 739 was forwarded to the Commonwealth’s Republican-dominated House of Delegates, where it’s expected to be quickly forwarded to Governor Youngkin’s desk for a signature.
Today, the Democrat majority Virginia Senate passed bills to ban school boards from implementing mask mandates and to give parents notification and right of refusal if sexually explicit materials are used in schools.
Glenn Youngkin is racking up the W's.
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) February 9, 2022
After a long debate on the Senate floor, lawmakers narrowly voted to prohibit schools from enforcing mask mandates on children whose parents have chosen to opt them out of such rules, regardless of the school’s masking policy.https://t.co/w4H7OfQWiN
— Real America's Voice (RAV) (@RealAmVoice) February 10, 2022
It’s looking like a total Democratic collapse on school mask mandates
Virginia Senate Democrats join GOP on amendment to allow parents to opt out of school mask mandates – The Washington Post https://t.co/oP5EvCHOYE
— Rich Lowry (@RichLowry) February 8, 2022
LifeSiteNews commented:
Virginia’s Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin has clearly signaled his intention to sign the bill, which would enshrine the measure into law during the present school year.
8News reported that “Youngkin intends to add an emergency clause to the bill once it reaches his desk so it can take effect immediately,” a move which would require the sign-off of the General Assembly.
Republican Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant, who introduced the bill, said Wednesday that mask mandates have “perpetuated a mitigation strategy that does not have evidence that it actually works but does have evidence that it does harm.”
Dunnavant, a practicing OB/GYN, noted that in addition to failing to stop the spread of COVID-19, masking impairs children’s ability to engage in social interactions.
SB 739 has passed the Senate with bipartisan support! This is a big win for our kids and families! In person instruction and parental mask options are important to the well-being and development of our children. On to the House and a quick trip to the Governor's desk! pic.twitter.com/zrzGFA68pu
— Siobhan Dunnavant (@Dunnavant4VA) February 9, 2022
On Monday, the Virginia House of Delegates approved the measure to end school mask mandates by a vote of 52-48.
Virginia House Speaker @cToddGilbert has delivered SB739, ending mask mandates in schools, to Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Great work by all involved.
👏👏
pic.twitter.com/kq7dw2DcpB— American Principles 🇺🇸 (@approject) February 14, 2022
JUST IN:
Virginia House of Delegates just passed the Senate Bill ending Mask Mandates in Schools in Virginia ..— Lawyerforlaws (@lawyer4laws) February 14, 2022
BREAKING: Virginia House passes bill to effectively end mask mandates in K-12 public schools. The bill passed the Senate last week with bipartisan support pic.twitter.com/OBwyIrZOqy
— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) February 14, 2022
Fox 5 Washington D.C. reported:
The Virginia House of Delegates banned school mask mandates Monday, handing a victory to Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin after his effort to impose the ban by executive order stalled in court.
The measure already passed the Senate. Youngkin’s office has indicated he will sign it and plans to attach an emergency clause letting it take effect immediately. If he does, the bill will go back to the legislature, where it will require a majority vote from each chamber, which could take just a matter of days.
Without the emergency clause, the bill wouldn’t take effect until July 1.
In a statement, Youngkin called passage “a significant step” that “will give parents a choice regarding their child’s health, education, upbringing, and care.”
Virginia children and parents earned a victory to end abusive, anti-science forced masking policies in public schools.
It’s a sharp contrast to nearby Washington DC, where school mask mandates will continue for the foreseeable future.
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