For more information on preventing the spread of COVID-19, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Maricopa County Department of Public Health and Arizona Department of Health Services. Attorney General Mark Brnovich filed an appeal to uphold four bills that were also shot down in the ruling of the state's attempted ban on mask mandates. SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. There were two main camps at a rally in Scottsdale Wednesday: people against wearing masks and people against being told to wear masks. We are able and capable of making the best decisions for our families, Solem said. The bill doesnt say masks dont work," he said. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Don't Threaten. Never miss an issue. Use the 'Report' link on The mandates reversal comes as COVID-19 case numbers which had been on the decline could again be on the rise. Keep it Clean. Duceys executive order did not impact schools. Sign up for free today. Maricopa County supervisors adopted a similar mandate countywide the next day. However, Superintendent Dr. Scott Menzel sent a letter to parents on May 14 notifying Low near 40F. Dr. Cara Christ, director of the Arizona Department of Health Services, said the main reason restrictions were imposed was to avoid overwhelming the states health care system with COVID-19 patients. This latest announcement comes on the heels of another controversial act undertaken by SUSD. Cooper said there are separate constitutional requirements that legislation deal with only a single subject. Several protesting parents stressed the struggle Scottsdale's youngest students face learning phonics and socializing when they cant see the faces of their teachers or their peers. Republican Rep. Joseph Chaplik, sponsor of HB 2770, said it would give businesses the choice of whether to enforce the mandates many communities already have adopted and that said consumers then would have the option of deciding if they want to do business there. He also rapped Ducey for approving the measure. At least one other lawmaker took notice. "We are 28 school days from the end of the 2020-2021 school year, and while we know there are people who would like us to remove the mask requirement now, SUSD's 15 ZIP codes remain in the substantial transmission category and the number of cases has been slowly increasing over the past few weeks," SUSD's statement reads. Scottsdale extends mask mandate indefinitely, By Wayne Schutsky, Progress Managing Editor. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. 15-342.05) from requiring students to be vaccinated against COVID. Her argument has the support of state Superintendent of Public Schools Kathy Hoffman, who on Friday cited a new Centers for Disease Control study that showed the efficacy of masks in curbing COVID-19 infections in schools. Scottsdale became one of the first cities in the state to act on that authority when former Mayor Jim Lane issued a mandate on June 18. Will Humble, executive director for the Arizona Public Health Association, said he doesnt believe the rescinded mandate will be the driving force behind case increases because the mandates were ignored by many and had little enforcement. High 61F. We will not be listening to the lockdown lobby. If these individuals continue to refuse to comply with the mask mandate, they can be cited. Be Nice. Rates are lower for other cities that feed into SUSD, including Tempe, where 48.7 percent of eligible residents are fully vaccinated slightly higher than Phoenixs 45.4 percent, according to data released last week by the county. Amandatory mask mandate issued by Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane in June will remain in place indefinitely pending further review by the mayors office. At the end of a lengthy school board meeting, Desai told Cooper that the larger and legally binding reason she should declare the provision banning mask mandates illegal is that it was tucked into a bill simply labeled a "budget reconciliation'' measure. Periods of rain early. They wanted to flex their muscles and so they made sure that that was put into the budget reconciliation bill and now districts and parents are going to have to live with it.. Be Truthful. Chance of rain 100%. Students started off last school year virtually. Whats Open? Quarantine requirements for close contacts are set by the Maricopa County Public Health Department. Share with Us. The K-5 kids none of them will be vaccinated, Humble said. Rep. Diego Rodriguez, D-Phoenix, said Chaplik is wrong in arguing that mask mandates are an example of government overreach. In Scottsdale, new cases per 100,000 residents and positive new test results were up recently in three of the citys 10 ZIP codes, according to Maricopa County. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph. "It's just a behavior we have to change and try and stay safe.". Hoffman within hours released a statement that said: New data from Arizona schools shows what public health experts have been telling our Governorfor months: universal masking keeps students learning inperson. Be Proactive. And it's been done for political reasons. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lane signed an emergency proclamation on June 18 requiring mask usage in public spaces where social distancing cannot be maintained, including grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants and bars, gyms, shops, special events and public transit. Lane told the Progress he will review the need for the mask requirement on a week-to-week basis. "The issue here is notwhatthe legislature decided buthowit decided what it did,'' she wrote. Share with Us. Arizona does not allow mask mandates, vaccine mandates, vaccine passports or discrimination in schools based on who is or isnt vaccinated. Scottsdale Advantage When considering only those age 18 and older, that number in Arizona rose to 62.2 percent, according to an analysis from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To lift the mask rule now is not prudent, nor does it 'follow the science.' ( Scottsdale Patch) Neiman Marcus in Scottsdale From a public health point of view and local control point of view, its also hypocritical because he keeps saying hes in favor of school choice. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. As we work toward that and as we are encouraged by the current trends, we are not there yet. Hawaii, Oregon, New Mexico, Illinois, Washington and Washington DC have kept most mask requirements in place, though some of those rules are likely to expire within the next several weeks. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. The measure is one of dozens that were tacked on without any hearing to the state budget bill passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Both Kyrene and Tempe Union announced they will keep theirs in place as well. racist or sexually-oriented language. The Legislature appealed to the state Supreme Court but lost on a request for an immediate stay oof Cooper's ruling. That says that were at the very minimum stabilized; I think well have to keep watching it to see if that becomes a solid upward trend, he added. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph. Keep it Clean. Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community There is still work to be done as we prepare to move to phase two.. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph. High 61F. It didn't see numbers like that last year, when students were required to wear masks, Menzel said, although he admitted that the more contagious delta variant played a factor in the spread. Districts and school boards are now powerless to implement any mask measures without the legislature say so even if the CDC recommends. Scottsdale 's neighbor to the east, the Town of Fountain Hills, is dropping its mask requirements for town buildings as of Jan. 1, 2022. The legislation prohibited schools from requiring masks during school hours or on any school property. SCOTTSDALE, AZ Scottsdale Unified School District joined others in the state in continuing with its mask mandate, in spite of Gov. Scottsdale Unified School District is keeping its mask mandate in effect for now after a Mar. It is spread through exchange of bodily fluids, normally sexual transmission or sores from open wounds and also can be spread through sharing infected needles. Share with Us. Low near 40F. New Mayor David Ortega wasted little Solem is one of the ambassadors for the Facebook Group SUSD Can, an advocacy group of Scottsdale Unified parents that formed last year. They cited the CDC orderrequiring masks on public transportation. He said allowing people to ignore such an order sends a bad message. And that, she said, means it violates a constitutional requirement that the title of a bill must reflect what's in it. It also showed that percent positivity on COVID-19 tests increased from 3.33 percent from June 20 to 26 to 5.42 percent from June 27 to July 3. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Now theyre saying, actually weve given you the choice for 10 days but now we think we know best so were now going to force the mandate even though we said we would allow you to choose, Solem said. We'd love to hear eyewitness In both Scottsdale and Maricopa County, enforcing the mask mandate will be left up to local police and the method of enforcement will take an educational approach. Be Proactive. Folks, this is getting away from us, Hart-Wells said. Please be patient and kind to staff at our local businesses as they learn and adapt to new procedures. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Check back for updates. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism As AZ Free News reportedon Thursday, SUSD offered to send students an emotional health and wellness screening that asked for personal information, medical history or information, mental health history or information, quality of home and interpersonal relationship information, student biometric information, gun or ammunition ownership, and any relatives illegal, antisocial, or self-incriminating behaviors. Cooper also said if lawmakers try to enforce the provisions she declared unconstitutional, she will issue further orders. Travel Requirements Other Republicans who voted for the bill did not openly challenge the effectiveness of masks, properly worn, in preventing the spread of disease. Correa said adolescents who contract COVID-19 have a higher hospitalization rate. The Biden administration has promised to fund districts in other states that have been financially penalized for imposing mask mandates but has not made much of Arizonas ban beyond some initial threats weeks ago. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. The news is welcomed Roberts said hes heard a figure that something like 90% of the state is covered by some local mask mandate. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph. These States Have COVID-19 Mask MandatesAlabama. Gov. Alaska. The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services encouraged mask wearing anytime social distancing is challenging, but no official mandate at the state level has been in place.American Samoa. Effective Feb. Arizona. On Nov. Arkansas. California. Colorado. Connecticut. Delaware. District of Columbia. More items Kids cant manage to keep a mask clean, she said. Scottsdale Unified officials cited the ruling in announcing that "SUSD will continue to require masks for students and staff while indoors on our campuses and other district facilities until at least two weeks" after fall break, which runs Oct. 11-15. SUSD claimed that CDC authority was greater than the states authority. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. You have permission to edit this article. Businesses will stay open. Humble agreed that vaccination rate among seniors is good news. "The Legislature is given a lot of discretion, a lot of wiggle room.''. Monday's ruling does more than void the challenged sections of the laws. Be Truthful. The all-Republican LD 23 delegation, which covers much of the rest of the city, voted for the measure. What is illegal, she said, was piling them into just four separate so-called "budget reconciliation'' bills, each with what she said are broad, generic titles that fail to inform voters of the changes they enact. Be Nice. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. The measure prohibiting mask mandates at schools was added to the annual spending plan late in the legislative session to win the votes of a handful of Republican lawmakers who said they wouldnt support the $12,8 billion spending plan absent that provision. person will not be tolerated. racist or sexually-oriented language. Last week, Lane told the Progress he was dropping the expiration date from the order. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Chance of rain 100%.. Cloudy. The original order was set to expire on July 20 before Lane extended it through Aug. 20. American Diabetes Association Alert Day Are You At Risk? Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, had a slightly different take. Despite that, some did get sick, forcing the closure of the store. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. From campus-style resorts to a lush Sonoran Desert landscape thats ripe for exploration, Scottsdale is the ideal choice if youre looking for a getaway that allows you room to roam. FOX 10's Bailey Miller spoke with residents and visitors who expressed mixed feelings. International travelers can use the CDC Travel Assessmentto prepare for travel. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. "It's the duty and authority of only the legislative branch to organize itself and make laws,'' he continued. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Get tested if youre feeling sick or have been exposed to the virus at free sites throughout the Scottsdale area. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. We also continue working on plans for a test-and-stay program after we return from Fall Break. In the wake of the decision, crowds have flooded back to Old Town Scottsdale, where social media posts show maskless throngs of young people have filled many clubs in the area to pre-pandemic levels. Until we have suppressed community spread by vaccinating more individuals, including children under 12, universal masking will continue to be a critical tool in limiting the spread of the virus in our schools.. He said the same is true in places like Mississippi and Georgia. "It is not strictly applied,'' he argued. I think we should have masks on until this is over with. However, unvaccinated people will still be required to wear masks indoors, the governor wrote. Health & Safety Protocols in Scottsdale, AZ | Official Travel Site LaBaer, too, acknowledged that enforcement impacted the effectiveness of mitigation measures, noting that Arizona faced a massive surge in cases over the winter when the mandates were still in effect. Follow her on Twitter, @CorinneMurdock or email tips to corinnejournalist@gmail.com. Chance of rain 100%. Humble said the mask mandate ban had been in the works for days and condemned state Department of Health Services Director Cara Christ for keeping silent. Share with Us. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism So far, the district has seen 95 positive cases on its campuses. And K6-12 the vaccination rates are pretty poor still and Pfizer is so far the only one that can go below age 16., As a new school year begins, though, there are still risks with this virus and particularly because of Delta its a lot easier to catch it, he continued. Chance of rain 100%. Don't knowingly lie about anyone State Senator Michelle Ugenti-Rita (R-Scottsdale) responded to parents concerned over SUSDs decision to break state law with a mask mandate. We are entering fall season when we know people are going to be indoors and we are starting to see rising number of cases in university systems," Dr. Jackson said. High 61F. The district's letter came hours after Ducey tweeted out his executive order, which he said was due to the steps that teachers, families and students have taken to act responsibly to stop the spread of the virus. Rep. Travis Grantham, R-Gilbert, echoed that sentiment. There are places where owners wanted to do the right thing, and used the governments requirement as the heavy; now, they cant use that, so they have to decide Im going to fight my customers, so Ill just give up, he said. The issue came to a head at an SUSD school board meeting on May 18 when a group of unruly attendees including some Scottsdale parents as well as outside groups like the conservative Patriot Party of Arizona and Purple for Parents refused to wear masks, prompting the board to suspend the meeting. Solem trusted that the district would follow through on what she said were multiple promises it made over the summer to ensure that masks would be optional. Low near 40F. Nothing prevents parents from making their own child wear a mask in school. LaBaer called Duceys decision premature. A department spokesman said Scottsdale Police took an education first approach. Rain. Threats of harming another But Osborne, who provided the crucial -- and required -- 31st vote for the measure, said she had to side with her colleagues. person will not be tolerated. This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience possible. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Don't knowingly lie about anyone Mask mandates are a textbook example of the government ensuring one of its fundamental purposes, which is guarding the public health and safety, Rodriguez said. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Watch a non-stop stream of breaking news, live events and stories across the nation. Typically comments during a public hearing are limited to the topic of the public hearing. That means only a stay by an appellate court can stop school districts from keeping mask requirements in place. Keep it Clean. Its official, masks required on buses! Use the 'Report' link on Solem believes that the district already has plenty of good mitigation strategies in place, without a mask requirement. Scottsdale lawmaker: Masks werent needed for AIDS, By Howard Fischer, Capitol Media Services. Parents opposing mask mandates bombard school districts with sham legal claims Feb. 21, 202202:35 The parents claims were baseless. Today was the date that Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Randall Warner in August determined was the effective date for the ban. Be Proactive. To date, these mitigation strategies have allowed us to welcome back 85% of our students for in-person learning.". Ducey press aide C.J. SUSD claimed that this order not only applied to public school transportation but private schools as well. Charity Miller, who lives in Scottsdale, but whose children don't attend district schools, said that she took part in the protest Tuesday night because she thinks that wearing masks is dangerous for all children, not just her own. Chaplik went on to tell colleagues to look at whats happening elsewhere to disprove the claims that masks help prevent the spread of the virus. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph. That was good for 29th place among states and the District of Columbia. Threats of harming another Low near 40F. "Extending the mask requirement until after Fall Break affords the opportunity to see what impact that time away from school has on school cases and to make appropriate decisions based on the facts at that time. 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