Virginia adopts plan to end school mask mandates March 1

By MATTHEW BARAKAT
Associated Press

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — Virginia’s General Assembly moved swiftly to put the final legislative touches on a bill that bans local school systems from imposing mask mandates on students. The legislature had passed the bill on Monday; Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin then amended it to add an emergency clause so that it could take effect before the typical July 1 enactment date for new legislation. On Wednesday, the House of Delegates voted to accept the governor’s amendments, which was the final step necessary for passage. Under the amendments, local systems must allow students to opt out of mask mandates beginning March 1.