Bechler bill aims to stop mask mandates

By Melissa Patrick, Kentucky Health News

A bill to prohibit public schools, colleges and universities from requiring masks has passed out of committee and is on its way to the full House. 

Rep. Lynn Bechler

House Bill 51, sponsored by Rep. Lynn Bechler, R-Marion, would prohibit mask requirements "on any public school premises," school-sponsored transportation and at school-sponsored events. It would also ban requirements at public colleges and universities, and allows parents of children enrolled in publicly funded child-care facilities to refuse masking for their children without any retribution. 

The bill conflicts with a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention order that required students and drivers to wear masks on buses, regardless of their vaccination status. The rule applies to all public transportation conveyances. 

The bill, with a committee substitute that drops references to viruses other than Covid-19, passed out of the House Education Committee on a 12-7 vote, with Republicans Adam Koenig of Erlanger and Killian Timoney of Lexington voting "no" with the Democrats. 

Explaining his "no" vote, Timoney, who works in the Fayette County Public Schools, said his constituents are asking him to do what it takes to keep kids in school rather than at home with non-traditional instruction.

"So for me, this is a mask versus an NTI," he said. "And all the evidence about mask wearing and harms, it's anecdotal. What's not anecdotal is NTI being a detriment. So that's why I'm a no vote...

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