TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Aug 16, 2021

Gov. Bill Lee this afternoon rejected calls from members of his own party to hold a special legislative session, instead announcing he is issuing an executive order requiring schools to allow parents to exempt their children from local school boards’ mask mandates, the Tennessean reports. In issuing Executive Order 84, Lee said, "Districts will make the decision they believe are best for their schools, but parents will have the ultimate decision-making for their individual child’s health and well-being." Soon after Lee's announcement, House Majority Leader Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, said the need for a special session had been averted "in the interim," but that he still wants to see action taken to limit the power of health departments in places like Nashville and Memphis.

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