MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is expected to announce a statewide face mask mandate Wednesday afternoon, and Republican critics are already sounding off.
Around noon, Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-East Gull Lake) issued a statement questioning the Democratic governor’s approach, asking why Minnesota needs a statewide mandate now as opposed to weeks ago, when deaths were at their peak.
“Once again, I find myself asking why one-size-fits-all is the only option for a mask mandate,” Gazelka said. “Businesses and individuals are already requiring and wearing masks in most situations, so the mandate feels like a heavy-handed, broad approach that won’t work well for every situation.”
RELATED: Gov. Walz To Announce Statewide Mask Mandate Wednesday
On Twitter, former Republican congressman Jason Lewis, who is currently running for a U.S. Senate seat, called the yet-to-be-announced mandate an unconstitutional power grab. “This assault on our liberties must end,” he tweeted.
Details on the mask mandate are expected to be announced at a 2 p.m. news conference. It remains unknown when the mandate would take effect or how it would be enforced.
RELATED: Minnesota Cities Requiring Masks
The mask mandate comes after more than a dozen Minnesota cities, as well as major retailers like Target and Walmart, moved to require masks in indoor spaces. Additionally, Walz’s decision comes as state lawmakers and health officials mull over how students will go back to school next month.
For Gazelka, he wants to see the mask mandate coincide with the students returning to in-person classes and the continued reopening of the economy. He also wants answers as to what mechanism will be in place to lift the mandate.
A number of other states, particularly in the south and along the eastern seaboard, have issued mandates, especially as COVID-19 cases in some states surge. No state neighboring Minnesota has issued a statewide mandate.
Source: CBS Minnesota
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