Mask wearing in Virginia schools is now optional after Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) signed a law that bans mandates.
“Children have not only suffered learning loss. They’ve suffered relationship loss,” Youngkin said on Wednesday. “And now’s our chance to give all parents the rights to make decisions that we know they have.”
He continued, “Today, we are re-establishing and restoring power back to parents. But we are also re-establishing our expectations that we will get back to normal. And this is the path.”
“And now we’re going to do a little work,” Youngkin added as he sat down to sign the legislation.
Watch the video below:
WATCH: Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin signs legislation BANNING mask mandates in Virginia schools.
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) February 16, 2022
"Today we are reestablishing and restoring power back to parents." pic.twitter.com/wl5dJn6PHK
The bill, Senate Bill 739, also states that schools must be open for in-person instruction five days a week.
The House of Delegates provided final passage for the bill on a party-line vote on Monday. It was passed by the state Senate last week and won the support of three Democratic lawmakers.
Youngkin made some changes to the bill, such as a clause that allows it to go into effect immediately. Both chambers approved the changes this week.
The bill signing comes as Youngkin’s executive order that made mask mandates optional is facing several legal challenges. Earlier this month, a judge temporarily blocked enforcement of his order.
Youngkin told Fox News before he signed the law that “there really isn’t the ability” for school districts to ignore the law and mandate mask-wearing.
“This bill is very clear. Any authority, whether it’s a local school board or a local board of supervisors or, by the way, the state government that wants to mandate masks, then parents will have the ability to opt-out if they think that’s the best thing for their child,” he said.
The new law comes after several states announced plans to drop mask mandates as the average number of new COVID-19 cases recorded per day has significantly decreased from last month.