RALEIGH, N.C. — Republicans in the state House and Senate have agreed to revised legislation around mask wearing, a compromise that would restore an exemption for people to wear masks in public to prevent disease.
A Senate-passed version eliminated any exemption for people to wear marks for health reasons. But some House Republicans balked at the change, forcing the two GOP-led chambers to work together on compromise language.
The new proposal allows for people to wear "a medical or surgical grade mask for the purpose of preventing the spread of contagious disease." It is a more narrow the current COVID-era exemption than is currently in state law.
Current law allows any person to wear "a mask for the purpose of ensuring the physical health or safety of the wearer or others."
The Senate-passed change sparked outcry from some disability and free speech advocates and became a national story.
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