City of Racine mask ordinance officially proposed, could go in effect next week

From The Journal Times.com:

Adam Rogan

RACINE — The Racine City Council is officially proposing a mask mandate in the city.

 Click here to read the City of Racine's proposed face covering requirement, as of 5 p.m. July 20

The City Council’s Executive Committee plans to discuss a “face coverings” ordinance during a 6 p.m. meeting Tuesday. The ordinance was proposed by Mayor Cory Mason’s office. From there, it’s on the City Council agenda, which is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

If approved by the City Council, the ordinance would take effect at 8 a.m. Monday, July 27 and remain in effect until the end of the year, unless it is extended or terminated by the City Council.

According to a draft of the ordinance, if passed, it would require face coverings to be worn over the nose and mouth by everyone in an indoor or outdoor “public space.”

Face coverings would also be required inside businesses at certain times, including when:

• “Employees are working in any space visited by customers or members of the public, regardless of whether customers or members of the public are present at the time.”
• Employees are working “in any space where food is prepared,”
• And when employees “are unable to maintain a 6-foot distance except for infrequent or incidental moments of closer proximity” within a workplace.

Face coverings are not required in certain situations, including:

• Children 4 years old or younger.
• The short list of people who the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance says don’t need to wear mask because of “a medical condition, mental health condition, developmental disability, or are otherwise covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act” and those who have chronic upper-respiratory conditions.
• People who are hearing-impaired and those who communicate with someone else who is hearing impaired “where the ability to view a person’s mouth is essential for communication.”
• When someone is seated at a restaurant or similar establishment while they are eating/drinking.
• Those “whose religious beliefs prevent them from wearing a face covering.”
• Persons for whom wearing a face covering would create a risk to the person related to their work, as determined by workforce safety guidelines and regulations.
• Persons obtaining a service related to the nose, mouth or face where temporary removal is necessary.
• When law enforcement deems it necessary to verify a person’s identity.
• While exclusively with members of your family or household.
• “Persons present in government facilities closed to the public, institutions of higher education, public and private kindergarten, through twelfth grade schools, and licensed childcare or youth facilities that are following Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation or Wisconsin Department of Children and Families guidelines as applicable.”

The ordinance includes public transportation, taxis and ride-sharing vehicles, such as those operated by Lyft and Uber.

Face coverings include, but are not limited to, bandannas, medical masks, cloth masks, scarves, and gaiters, provided that they are worn such that they securely cover the person’s nose and mouth.

Dane County’s already in-place mask ordinance is stricter, since it requires masks to be worn even when someone is in a home that is not their own and other people who are not part of that person’s primary household are present.

The City of Milwaukee has a similar order in effect, but Milwaukee County does not.

Under the ordinance, businesses are allowed to refuse service to any person who doesn’t wear a mask when otherwise required to.

Read more: https://journaltimes.com/news/local/city-of-racine-mask-ordinance-officially-proposed-could-go-in-effect-next-week/article_75e4b25f-f3f6-5032-be38-9359220eddfc.html#tracking-source=home-top-story