Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah House of Representatives will likely hold off on Wednesday from discussing a joint resolution to overturn mask mandates in Salt Lake and Summit counties.
"The House Majority Caucus is in widespread agreement that mask mandates are not the answer. However, we are still looking at the resolution and discussing options," Republican caucus leaders told KSL NewsRadio early Wednesday.
One the first day of the session, the Utah Senate on Tuesday passed SJR3 to overturn the mask mandates, but it awaits a vote in the House before it could become final.
Amid record new case counts, Dr. Angela Dunn, executive director of the Salt Lake County Health Department, issued a 30-day public health order on Jan. 7 that made "well-fitting" masks mandatory indoors.
Republican Gov. Spencer Cox later announced that the order does not apply to state facilities — allowing the Utah Legislature to convene this week with no mask requirement in place.
The Legislature's effort to overturn the mask mandate isn't the first roadblock it's faced. Last week, members of the Salt Lake County Council sought to nullify it but the order was ultimately upheld by a 5-4 vote in the council.
