Kemp signs bill establishing mask opt-out

Georgia parents who don’t want their children wearing masks as a precaution against the coronavirus can now opt them out of any school district mandate.

“This will ensure that parents have the final say when it comes to the health and well-being of their child,” Gov. Brian Kemp said before signing into law Senate Bill 514. “It is a commonsense measure that puts parents in charge — not the government.”

The law takes effect immediately and will run through June 2027, although the Georgia Department of Public Health has said a governor could suspend it in a state of emergency.

Only one major school district in metro Atlanta, Clayton County, was still requiring masks at the time of the bill signing. Superintendent Morcease Beasley said the district will abide by the new law.

State Republican lawmakers have said COVID-19 is relatively harmless for children and masks are not effective enough to merit their use in schools. A recent study cited by the Atlanta-based U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, however, found lower infection rates in schools that mandated masks for everyone than in those without universal mask requirements.

Democrats and other critics say the legislation eliminates local control over the pandemic response, and that shifting classes to online is the only remaining defense for schools.

As infection rates have fallen, the CDC has relaxed its guidance on masks, saying the face coverings are no longer necessary in most indoor settings, including schools and on school buses. Public health experts, however, warn that infections could increase again due to a subvariant of omicron called BA.2 that has been spreading in Georgia and the rest of the country.

AJC 2021 “This will ensure that parents have the final say when it comes to the health and well-being of their child,” Gov. Brian Kemp said before signing into law Senate Bill 514.