County Commissioners Repeal Face Covering Resolution

BRADENTON – At Tuesday's meeting, Manatee County Commissioners voted 4-3 to repeal a mandatory face-covering resolution, replacing it with a symbolic proclamation that anyone in Manatee County should continue to wear masks if they are unable to socially distance indoors.

The vote followed a recent executive order by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis that revoked the ability of local governments to enforce fines and penalties related to face mask requirements. Commissioners Vanessa Baugh, Stephen Jonsson and Priscilla Trace were joined by swing vote Betsy Benac to overturn the existing resolution. Commissioners Misty Servia, Carol Whitmore and Reggie Bellamy cast dissenting votes.

Face masks are now no longer required to be worn indoors in Manatee County, even in instances where people cannot socially distance from each other. The repeal of the face mask requirement does not apply to public schools, for which face-coverings have been mandated by the Manatee School Board. Face coverings will still be required inside the county's MCAT buses and public facilities including Manatee County public libraries.

"The majority of people wear a mask not because of a mandate but because they know it's the right thing to do," said Commissioner Vanessa Baugh, who's voted against the ordinance each time. "It's up to each business to enforce whether people should wear a mask or not."

The board then unanimously passed a proclamation that "strongly encourages individuals who cannot social distance to wear face coverings and supports businesses displaying signs requiring face masks to be worn in business establishments to reduce the spread of COVID-19."

"Everyone is saying you need to continue wearing a mask to slow the transmission," added commission chair, Betsy Benac. "Businesses can continue to keep signs in their businesses requiring visitors to wear masks. They're perfectly within their rights to do that."