Idaho lieutenant governor bans masks while governor away

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — With the governor out of the state, Idaho’s lieutenant governor issued an executive order Thursday banning masks in schools and public buildings, saying the face-covering directives threatened people’s freedom.

Republican Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin is acting governor while Gov. Brad Little is at the Republican Governors Association conference in Nashville, Tennessee. He was expected to return Thursday evening.

Last week, McGeachin announced her run for governor, challenging the first-term incumbent Little. McGeachin is on the far right of the political spectrum in the conservative state, and her order could bolster her support as a candidate for governor.

Little’s office said McGeachin did not make him aware that she planned to issue the executive order. The office didn’t say what Little would do when he returned, but it did say residents value local control.

“Throughout the pandemic, Governor Little has been committed to protecting the health and safety of the people of Idaho and has emphasized the importance of Idahoans choosing to protect our neighbors and loved ones and keeping our economy and schools open,” Little’s spokeswoman, Marissa Morrison, said.

Little has never issued a statewide mask mandate, but some counties, cities and schools have done so. Many have been lifting the mandates as more residents are vaccinated against COVID-19.

The executive order was signed by Republican Secretary or State Lawerence Denney and went into effect at 11 a.m. Denney's office said it confirmed Little was out of state before determining the order was valid under the Idaho Constitution.

The order applies to city and county governments, public universities, colleges and schools, and public libraries. The ban does not apply to federal buildings, hospitals or...