End of Montana mask mandate to be announced Friday

At Gov. Greg Gianforte's first bill-signing ceremony Wednesday afternoon, for Senate Bill 65, he said he will announce the end to Montana's mask mandate this Friday morning.

Passage of SB 65, which protects businesses from lawsuits resulting from COVID-19 transmission at their establishments provided they make good faith efforts to keep people safe, is something Gianforte has said would be required for him to rescind his predecessor's mandate.

He said this, combined with the ongoing vaccine rollout and decreasing transmission within the state, is what allowed him to make this decision.

"First we needed to start getting the vaccine to our most vulnerable. We have done that," he said. "Second, we need to protect business, non-profits, places of worship and health care providers from lawsuits if they make a good faith effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and follow clear public health guidelines. We have done that too."

He said local jurisdictions can still create mask mandate of their own.

Watch for more in Thursday's edition of Havre Daily News.