Okla. Gov. Kevin Stitt: Masks not required in govt. buildings
Okla. Gov. Kevin Stitt speaks during an Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki File)
OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 11:15 AM PT – Sunday, May 30, 2021
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) has signed an executive order that states Oklahoma agencies will be barred from requiring masks or COVID-19 vaccinations as a condition of being allowed to enter a state building or office.
Stitt signed the order on Friday, saying it’s time the state returned to normal. He further clarified this rule will not extend to facilities where patient care is the primary function.
Stitt refused to issue a statewide mask mandate, but in November required masks inside state buildings. This order was later lifted in March.
Taking the COVID-19 vaccine is a personal choice.
I’ve signed SB 658, to ensure that students can go to school without that choice being made for them.
This bill also prevents schools from requiring vaccine passports or masks for unvaccinated students. pic.twitter.com/x14btU3bW9
— Governor Kevin Stitt (@GovStitt) May 28, 2021
Stitt also signed a bill prohibiting mask mandates and vaccination requirements in state schools and colleges. He attributed the recent lifting of COVID-19 restrictions to the fortitude of his constituents. According to data released from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 41 percent of Oklahoma’s population has received at least their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, with nearly 34 percent fully vaccinated.
The Republican governor stressed how every resident of the state must have access to government services whether they decide to wear a mask or not. The order will officially go into effect on Tuesday.