The state Commonwealth Court has ruled that the acting Department of Health secretary did not have the authority to issue a statewide mask mandate for schools, and her order to have students wear masks in schools has been thrown out.
Reports say that Commonwealth Court judges voted 4-1 to declare the masking order null and void, and to declare it unenforceable. The judges’ ruling said that acting secretary Alison Bream’s mandate did not comply with state laws about reviewing and approving regulations, and it was adopted outside of the Governor’s disaster declaration.
The lawsuit was brought to Commonwealth Court in September by Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman and several parents in Pennsylvania.
This announcement from the Commonwealth Court comes on the heels of Governor Wolf’s announcement that the mask mandate for K-12 schools would expire on January 17th and that the decision after that would rest with local school districts.
The Governor is expected to issue a statement later today.
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