KOOTENAI COUNTY, Idaho — Lawmakers are asking health officials in Kootenai County to reconsider a mask mandate that has been in place for more than two months.
In a letter posted on Facebook, senators and representatives of North Idaho wrote that they are “concerned about the continuing mask mandate in Kootenai County.” The order, which went into effect on July 23, 2020, has faced scrutiny from both members of the public and local leaders.
“This order, first passed by your board in July, carries the force of law and is highly upsetting to many of the citizens we represent,” the lawmakers' letter dated Sept. 29 reads.
Lawmakers who signed the letter are from Post Falls, Coeur d'Alene, Dalton Gardens, Riggins and Grangeville. Rep. Tim Remington, who is also a pastor at the Altar Church in Coeur d'Alene, is included among the signatures.
The lawmakers are requesting that Panhandle Health District call a meeting of its board next week to change the mask mandate to a "recommendation."
Katherine Hoyer, a spokesperson for PHD, said in an email that the health district is waiting to hear from the board on whether its members will hold a special meeting.
At a board meeting on Sept. 24, a motion was made to rescind the mask mandate and it was not approved, Hoyer said.
The letter from lawmakers points out that Kootenai County, along with four other counties in North Idaho, are in the “yellow” or “minimal” risk level for COVID-19.
This risk level indicates one to 15 new coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents over a rolling one-week period, testing positivity rate between 5 to 8% and hospital bed occupancy between 75 to 90 percent.
“It is our belief that government mandates related to COVID are not only counterproductive but are an infringement on individual rights protected by the Idaho and US Constitutions,” the letter reads. “Idahoans value their freedom to make decisions for themselves. Treating adults like children results in defiance of the orders and diminished the credibility of the health board in current and future concerns.”
At the end of the letter, lawmakers thanked health officials for their service to the community and recognized their work during the pandemic.
