Governor Greg Gianforte signed House Bill 257 on Friday invalidating city and county mask mandates and capacity restrictions created by health officers and city leaders in the City of Whitefish, Missoula County, and Gallatin County.

Introduced by Jedediah Hinkle (R) of Gallatin County, HB257 amends state code to limit the authority of local health officers to compel businesses to act as foot-soldiers for their ordinances and resolutions. It also amends code to define limits to the duration of directives and mandates made during an emergency. Health officers also may no longer “interfere with or otherwise limit” a persons attendance or operation of a religious facility or church.

When writing ordinances and resolutions, health officers and municipal and county leaders may not:

• compel a private business to deny a customer access
• deny a customer of a private business the ability to access goods
• revoke a businesses license for non-compliance

When writing state disaster and emergency plans the state may not:

• compel a private business to deny a customer access
• deny a customer of a private business the ability to access goods

Amendments in the updated code include provisions to allow the state to compel a business to deny a customer access if the customer is confirmed to have a communicable disease. The law does not limit a private businesses ability to continue requiring customers to wear masks before entering. But they can no longer claim that the state or county made them do it.

Check out screenshots below and go read the text for yourself. Mask Burning Party, when?