Last week, the Utah GOP surrendered in the war against COVID-19.
It has only been a week since the legislative session started, but lawmakers quickly passed SJR 3: Joint Resolution to Terminate Public Health Orders Pertaining to Face Coverings, which will prematurely lift the 30-day mask order in Salt Lake and Summit Counties that were both set to expire in the next few weeks. They also passed HB 183: In-Person Learning Amendments which will indefinitely suspend test-to-stay in schools. Read more from the Deseret News.
In response, we sent out the following statement:
“Today, the Utah GOP surrendered in the war against COVID-19. Our communities are facing immense pressure in hospitals, schools, and businesses, and local public health officials have stepped up to protect residents in their counties. But instead of doing the same, members of the supermajority have obstructed these efforts, while also citing hypocritical stances on local control, questioning the decisions of local experts, and dangerously underemphasizing the impacts of this virus on our communities.
“By passing these two bills with zero public input, lawmakers have washed their hands of their responsibility to protect the health and general welfare of the people of Utah. They’ve sent a clear message that Utahns are on their own and the burden of this crisis rests on their individual shoulders. GOP lawmakers are done and they’re moving on.”
Prior to the House vote on SJR3, nearly 300 of you used our action alert to let your lawmakers know that you supported protecting your communities by keeping the mask order. And they heard you—we know because we heard them speak about it on the House floor, and it was evidenced in the split vote.
We will never stop watching and speaking up for our communities, and we know you won’t either. Thank you for all you do to make Utah an even better place to live.
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