Arkansas judge blocks statewide ban on mask mandates

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

An Arkansas judge on Friday temporarily blocked the state from enforcing its ban on mask mandates, AP reports.

Driving the news: Pulaski County Circuit Judge Tim Fox issued a preliminary injunction against a law signed in April by Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson that banned governmental entities from implementing mask mandates.

Fox ruled against the measure on multiple grounds, including that it discriminated between public and private schools, per AP.

Driving the news: Fox's decision came hours after the state legislature upheld the state's mask mandate ban during a special session called by Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson.

Hutchinson sought to amend the law amid rising cases of COVID-19 in Arkansas, especially among children 12 and under who can't get vaccinated. The Republican said this week that he regrets signing the ban into law.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/arkansas-judge-blocks-statewide-ban-164832152.html

The judge did your work for you Hutch

[ShazzieB]

1. What does "temporary blocked" mean?

Good ruling, but what has to happen for it to become permanent, I wonder?

It's not clear from the article (unless I missed something).

[mwooldri]

2. Probably a D Judge.

Pulaski County is Democratic, and the judge ruled that voter ID was unconstitutional. Probably expect the ruling to be appealed...

But then the governor could issue an executive order requesting that enforcement of the no mask mandate law be suspended for X days... But then I'm not into Arkansas politics and don't know what the governor can and can't do in that state.