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Legislature to keep mask requirement over GOP opposition
May 28, 2021
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AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) Legislative leaders are keeping in place a mask requirement for the State House, despite Republican opposition.
The Legislative Council on Thursday took no further action on the mask mandate, despite an uproar among Republicans who say lawmakers shouldn t be subjected to different rules than the public.
The governor has lifted requirements for masks indoors, though businesses can choose to continue requiring them.
On Monday, seven Republicans defied the rule by entering the State House without masks. House Speaker Ryan Fecteau, a Democrat, responded by stripping them of their committee assignments.
Maine House Speaker Replaces Republicans on Committees Over Mask Rule Violation
The speaker of the Maine House of Representatives this week stripped seven conservatives of their committee assignments, replacing them with Democrats.
House Speaker Ryan Fecteau, a Democrat, made the move after the group, comprised of six GOP lawmakers and a Libertarian, entered the state Capitol without masks.
Video footage posted by one of the legislators, state Rep. Laurel Libby, showed law enforcement stopping the group just inside the entrance.
“In order to be in legislative space, your leadership said that you need to wear a mask. So we are asking you to wear a mask beyond this point,” one officer said.