Gov. Gianforte To Rescind Statewide Mask Mandate Friday

By Keith Schubert, Daily Montanan

February 10, 2021

Gov. Greg Gianforte said he will provide a directive Friday that will allow the existing statewide mask mandate to expire.

However, the directive will not bar local jurisdictions from implementing their own mask mandates, he said.

The announcement came as Gianforte signed Senate Bill 65 into law that protects businesses, churches, hospitals and nonprofits from civil liability if someone gets sick — or even dies — from COVID-19 contracted on-site.

The bill was one of two conditions Gianforte outlined on his second day in office required to remove the mask mandate. The other was getting the COVID vaccine to Montana’s most vulnerable populations.

As part of his efforts to expand vaccinations, he updated the state’s vaccination rollout for phase 1B to include all Montanans over the age of 70 and people ages 16-69 with underlying health conditions such as cancer and diabetes and others.

Phase 1B also includes American Indians and other people of color who may be at elevated risk for COVID-19 complications.

As of Wednesday, the state had administered 149,263 doses of the vaccine and 41,539 Montanans were fully immunized, according to the state’s Coronavirus dashboard.

“We have proven over and over again just how effective we are in getting
the vaccine out to the most vulnerable, and I will continue asking the
federal government to send Montana our fair share of doses.”

Gianforte said when his time comes, he will get the vaccine and encourages others to do so as well.

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