North Gwinnett News

A recently approved bill by the Georgia House of Representatives hopes to put an end to mask mandates in schools. 

The "Unmask Georgia Students Act,” championed by Gov. Brian Kemp, prohibits teachers, administrators, superintendents and school boards from requiring students wear masks on school property unless they are exempted by a parent or guardian, according to a report by FOX 5 Atlanta.

"We need to begin to return to normal and this is the first step in doing so," state Rep. Lauren McDonald (R-Cumming) told FOX 5 Atlanta. “I want to be clear--this bill does not take away a person's ability to wear a mask or say a school district cannot implement a mask mandate. It is past time for our children to return to normal classrooms and for parents to make the decisions for their children, not the government."

Already approved by the Senate, the bill passed the House by a vote of 93 to 52, the report states. 

According to FOX 5, the legislation also bans schools from retaliating against students who opt out of wearing a face covering. While this bill has earned support from many, Democrats argued it takes away local control and said it will hurt school districts’ ability to protect their students if new health threats emerge.

The law is set to expire June 20, 2027, and will go into effect as soon as Gov. Kemp signs it into law, the report states. Since its passage Democrats have made a procedural move to reconsider the legislation as soon as possible.