UPDATE: The bill has now passed the Senate and is being sent to the House of Delegates. Senator Petersen said the bill could become law by the end of February. Three Democrat Senators voted for the final bill, Chap Petersen (Fairfax), Joseph D. Morrissey (Richmond) and Lynwood W. Lewis Jr. (Accomack). More here.
On a bipartisan vote of 29 to 9, the state Senate has passed Senator Chap Petersen’s (D-Fairfax) amendment to make masks optional in public schools. In the Senate, the Democrats hold a majority, 21 to 19. This legislation goes along with Governor Youngkin’s second executive order.
From WTKR.com:
“I don’t think the policy has been working. I think it’s irrelevant and I think we need to get rid of it and move on,” Sen. Chap Petersen (D-Fairfax) said about universal mask mandates.
Petersen made it clear he plans to end the policy of universal masking at schools in a letter he wrote to the Superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools.
“As a parent, I’ve had enough,” Petersen wrote in the letter. Click here to read the full letter.
The bill is expected to pass the House of Delegates where Republicans have a clear majority. From there it will go to the Governor to sign into law.
More details here.