With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Huntington Beach Bans Mask, Vaccine Mandates
An aerial view of Huntington Beach taken during the pandemic shutdowns.
(
Apu Gomes
/
AFP via Getty Images
)
Topline:
The Huntington Beach City Council voted to approve a resolution to ban mask and COVID-19 vaccine mandates in the city, but it likely doesn’t hold much legal weight. State law requires local health departments to implement state health orders and cities can’t supersede state laws. The state hasn't indicated it is going to reinstate any type of mandate.
The resolution: The resolution passed on a 4-3 vote and says individuals “should have a right to choose” whether or not to wear a mask or get vaccinated. City attorney Michael Gates told LAist in an email that the resolution formalizes the city’s position against “overreaching broad mask and vaccine mandates by other government agencies” and that “it was important to City Council to take this public position on a policy to ban mask and vaccine mandates.”
A political stunt? Former Mayor Kim Carr, who served during the height of the pandemic says the resolution is “performative” and “half-baked.” “Nobody’s talking about mask mandates. Nobody’s talking about vaccine mandates,” she said. “This is just more fear mongering and trying to get people angry about something.”
Sponsored message
What’s next: Like other Southern California counties, Orange County has seen a recent increase in COVID cases, and hospitalizations have trended up since July. The state ended the COVID public health emergency earlier this year and the California Department of Public Health hasn't indicated it will reinstate any type of mandate. The resolution will be presented and voted on for formal adoption at a later city council meeting.
At LAist, we focus on what matters to our community: clear, fair, and transparent reporting that helps you make decisions with confidence and keeps powerful institutions accountable.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
