Court Strikes Down Arizona’s Ban On Mask Mandates

Phoenix’s CBS News affiliate reports:

A judge on Monday struck down provisions Republican lawmakers tucked into the Arizona budget that block schools from requiring masks and restrict the power of local governments to impose COVID-19 requirements. The ruling by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Katherine Cooper could clear the way for cities and counties to enact mask requirements. She also ruled that an entire budget measure that served as a catch-all for a wish list of conservative policies was unconstitutional.

The Governor’s Office said it’s still reviewing the ruling but said the decision is “is clearly an example of judicial overreach.” “Arizona’s state government operates with three branches, and it’s the duty and authority of only the legislative branch to organize itself and to make laws. Unfortunately, today’s decision is the result of a rogue judge interfering with the authority and processes of another branch of government,” said CJ Karamargin with Gov. Doug Ducey’s Office.

Read the full article.

An Arizona judge ruled that the state’s ban on mask mandates in schools, and non-COVID measures — including a ban on teaching critical race theory — put into the state budget by Republicans, are unconstitutional. https://t.co/OInGWNHZ3h

— Axios (@axios) September 28, 2021