Arkansas governor says he regrets signing ban on mask warrants

Arkansas Govt. Asa hutchinsonAsa HutchinsonArkansas Reports Largest Spike In One Day Hospitalizations For COVID-19 Arkansas Governor Urges State Legislature To Allow Masks In Schools Judge Orders Arkansas To Take Back unemployment benefits in the event of a PLUS pandemic (R) says he regrets signing a ban on mask warrants in schools as he calls on the state legislature to overturn the decision.

“Well, I signed it back then because our cases were at a very low point. I knew it would be rescinded by the legislature if I didn’t sign it… I’ve already eliminated our statewide mask mandate, ”Hutchinson said in a statement. press conference Tuesday.

“I signed it for these reasons that our cases were at a low point. Everything has changed now. And yes, with hindsight, I would have liked it not to become a law, ”he added.

The governor started last week call for the state legislature to strike down the part of the law that says schools can’t decide if they want a mask warrant.

He says he still supports a statewide ban on a mask warrant because adults have the option to get the vaccine, but children do not.

“Local school districts are all different across the state and they have different opinions about it and they reflect the different wishes of parents and their constituents,” Hutchinson said. “Local school districts should call and they should have more options to make sure their school is a safe environment during a very difficult time for education.”

The governor is reconvening the Republican-led state legislature to address the issue, although lawmakers have said it would be difficult to lift the ban.

“My problem is that it’s very close that we would even have a majority right now,” said State Senate Speaker Jimmy Hickey (R).

Both houses of the legislature would need a two-thirds vote to lift the ban before school starts, while a simple majority means the ban would not be lifted for 90 days.

Hutchinson’s appeal comes as the state is inundated with coronavirus cases and faces low vaccination rates.