‘My body, my choice': Idaho House committee passes bill to prohibit government mask mandates
A protester's sign encouraging no COVID-19-related mandates rests against an end table in the Idaho House's lobby at the Statehouse in Boise, Idaho, on Nov. 15, 2021. (Otto Kitsinger for Idaho Capital Sun)
A bill to prohibit government mask mandates is moving forward to the floor of the Idaho House of Representatives.
The House State Affairs Committee in a 13-2 vote on Monday morning advanced House Bill 32, a bill that would prohibit the state, cities, counties, public health districts, school districts and state officers from mandating the use of masks, face shields or coverings to prevent the spread of contagious diseases.
All Republicans on the committee voted in favor of the bill, while its two Democrats voted against it.
The state of Idaho never had a mask mandate during the pandemic and local governments, like the city of Boise, haven't issued a mask mandate or masking recommendations since the COVID-19 pandemic, when nearly 4,600 Idahoans died from the virus between 2020 and 2022, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The bill does include an exemption for hospitals, health care workers and vocational sessions where wearing protective facemasks is mandatory, such as the welding industry.
Bill sponsor Rep. Robert Beiswenger, R-Horseshoe Bend, said the bill would not cost any taxpayer dollars, and it would give Idahoans more freedom because they wouldn't have to worry about getting arrested or fines from officials for not wearing a mask.
Rep. Todd Achilles, D-Boise, asked Beiswenger if he had consulted with any health officials when drafting the bill.
'No, I didn't,' Beiswenger said. 'This is more of a moral issue here.'
Health experts have stated that wearing a mask can help lower the risk of respiratory virus transmission. According to the CDC, when worn by a person with an infection, masks reduce the spread of the virus to others. Masks can also protect wearers from breathing in infectious particles.
The bill is one of many attempts Idaho legislators have made to prohibit government mask mandates. Last year a nearly identical bill, House Bill 493, passed the House, but it was not introduced to the Idaho Senate.
Nine people testified in favor of the bill, with some arguing that mask mandates are 'tyranny,' others pointing to their Christian faith, and some arguing that masks do not prevent the spread of viruses.
Yvonne St Cyr testified in favor of the bill. St Cyr was recently pardoned from President Donald Trump for felony charges related to obstructing and interfering with law enforcement at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Weeks before her Jan. 6 arrest, St Cyr was arrested after protesting outside a Central District Health board meeting where the board was expected to vote on a local mask mandate, the AP News previously reported. St Cyr was originally arrested under a trespassing charge, according to the Boise Police Department.
'My body, my choice,' St Cyr told the committee. 'I'm a sovereign being, and no one's going to tell me that I need to cover my mouth and breathe. My breath is sacred, and I will fight with every breath I have to make sure that my freedoms are not taken away. This mask mandate was taking away my freedom… I'm a healthy woman, and I wasn't going to be unhealthy because somebody was scared or feared a disease.'
Two people testified in opposition to the bill, including Heather Stout who said during the COVID-19 pandemic, her family was terrified of contracting the virus because she had a member with an autoimmune disease.
'This is not a question of personal freedoms,' Stout said. 'This is about our humanity, about how we care for our neighbors and our communities. Please continue to allow our state officials to help curb the progression and spread of contagious and infectious diseases by any means possible.'
Kelly Packer, the executive director of the Association of Idaho Cities, also opposed the bill, arguing it blocks elected officials' authority to make informed decisions, and potentially affects them when making decisions in the future.
The committee voted to send the bill to the House floor with a recommendation that it pass. If passed by the House, the bill will move to the Senate for consideration.
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