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House passes bill barring government mask mandates for infectious disease transmission
Summary
House Bill 32 passed the Idaho House on Jan. 29, prohibiting government officials from imposing mask mandates for infectious disease transmission; the measure passed 52-16 with 2 excused and will move to the Senate.
The Idaho House of Representatives on Jan. 29 passed House Bill 32, a measure prohibiting government employees and officials from imposing mask mandates to control viral or infectious-disease transmission. The clerk recorded a roll-call tally of 52 ayes, 16 nays and 2 absent and excused.
The bill's sponsor, Representative, District 8, told colleagues the legislation aims to prevent local officials from imposing criminal penalties or large fines for failure to wear masks, and said the measure costs the state no money while preserving individuals' ability to wear masks voluntarily. "This bill doesn't cost the taxpayers a single dime," the sponsor said on the floor, adding officials would remain free to "advise, recommend, suggest" but not force compliance with jail or fines.
Opponents framed the bill as a preemption of local authority and cautioned it could limit public-health responses to local outbreaks. The opposing floor speaker, Representative, District 28, said an ongoing tuberculosis outbreak in parts of the country has led public-health officials to recommend masks; he warned that a state preemption could prevent necessary local action in some circumstances.
Floor debate included a question about how the preemption could be reversed; the sponsor said undoing the law would require passing another bill. After floor remarks, the clerk recorded the vote and the House approved the bill's title; the measure will be transmitted to the Senate.
On the floor the sponsor referenced testimony received in committee, including a witness (identified by the sponsor as Yvonne Saint Cyr) who had previously received a presidential pardon, and a restaurant owner who said they had faced threats of fines or jail time in the past. The floor discussion did not include statutory citations for the change.
The bill passed the House and will proceed to the Senate for further consideration. The transcript record does not specify implementation details or exceptions beyond the floor descriptions.
