Iowa Gov. signs law banning mask mandates in schools, cities and counties

Leaders of Iowa school districts cannot require students or staff to wear masks and Iowa cities and counties cannot impose mask mandates under a law Gov. Kim Reynolds signed early Thursday.

The law, which goes into effect immediately, passed the House by a 53-35 vote and passed the Senate by a 29-17 vote in the waning hours of the 2021 legislative session. It was part of a larger education bill that would expand open enrollment in Iowa. Both votes split along party lines.

Reynolds, a Republican, said Wednesday morning, before either chamber passed the legislation, that she would likely be in favor of the measure. She then promptly signed it into law within hours of its passage.

“The state of Iowa is putting parents back in control of their child’s education and taking greater steps to protect the rights of all Iowans to make their own health care decisions,” Reynolds said in a statement. “I am proud to be a governor of a state that values personal responsibility and individual liberties. I want to thank the Iowa Legislature for their quick work in bringing this bill to my desk so that it can be signed into law.”

DesMoines Register