Sen. Edward Durr from South Jersey has introduced a bill that challenges Gov. Murphy’s school mask mandate. Durr, a Republican who beat out ex-Senate President Steve Sweeney, says masks are medical devices that schools should have to get parents’ approval before mandating that kids use them.
The Food & Drug Administration classifies masks as medical devices, and Durr says that no child should be forced to wear one without the informed consent of a parent or guardian. This is the same as consent needing to be given for a child to receive a vaccine or any other medical treatment.
If the bill passes, it would effectively end the mask mandate for kids in New Jersey schools. As of now, it’s unknown how much support for Durr’s bill there will be. Some wonder if such a proposal would even hold water since the governor has the power to declare a state of emergency, which allows him to issues executive orders such as mask mandates.
The school mask mandate was set to expire January 11, but Murphy issued another state of emergency that day, citing the surge in Omicron.