Gov. Inslee passes mandatory statewide facial covering rule, starting Friday

Meghan Walker Ballard

Governor Jay Inslee has announced that starting Friday, wearing facial coverings while in public will be required statewide.

The mandate comes after a recent uptick in COVID-19 cases, and requires facial coverings where a distance of six feet cannot be maintained, both indoors and outdoors.

“This is about saving lives. It’s about reopening our businesses. And it’s about showing respect and care for one another,” Inslee wrote on Twitter.

Those who are exempt from the mandate include children under two, people who are deaf or hard of hearing, and people with respiratory conditions. The order will allow people to remove masks while eating at a restaurant and recreating alone or with members of their household.

For Washington State Department of Health guidance on the statewide mandate, click here.

34 thoughts to “Gov. Inslee passes mandatory statewide facial covering rule, starting Friday”

      1. Please define deplorables for us. When I see CHIZ: Capital Hill Idiot Zone, go way and laws being enforced, I will then perhaps consider wearing a diaper. Totalitarian regimes use these very same tactics. But history is hard to figure out for many.

      2. i am a deplorable and i agree with the Governor, sorry lizzy. There is an announcement on Metro busses that masks are “required” yet some don’t wear them. I will be very surprised if insley has the backbone to enforce this. Though i wish he would.

      1. I wear the mask in some circumstances to show respect for those around me and because it’s the right thing to do. You have a “right” to be practice civil disobedience. Just because you CAN do something doesn’t mean you should.

  2. Time for some Intersectionality:
    How does this new requirement intersect with the repeal of ordinances restricting loitering for prostitution? Will the ladies on Aurora be fined for not wearing masks and maintaining social distance from each other and prospective clients?

    “Suck it up and get it done” indeed.

        1. He was referring to prostitutes, but hey, good red herring argument, which is also the last gasp of an idiot with nothing to say.

          You seem to have a lot of time on your hands these days, are you spending less time in the bushes outside Dan’s house?

  3. Fortunately, King county is ahead of the curve, masks have been “required” here for the last month.

    I’m exempt though, I have an “respiratory condition” that my service dog has been helping me get through.

    2. Make sure you’re using all the bigly legit, stable genius advice you’ve been peddling on this blog since you burst on the scene a few months back.

      Daily injections of bleach, anal UV lightbulb insertions and a few trips to warm Arizona will surely keep you virus free!

      Oh and don’t wear masks, because they suffocate you to death with massive levels of CO2 and are really a conspiracy by Bill Gates to mind control people in to critical thinking (yuck!).

      Plus, if you get it, COVID is no worse than the common cold or your average World War.

        1. Unless you can point me to something to back up your idiotic statement, protestors are required to wear masks under the mandatory mask mandate. Regardless, protesters are using masks and social distancing while exercising their first amendment rights.

          Compare to the morons protesting that they want haircuts and/or the morons that stormed state capitals with guns.

          Good whataboutism fallacy though! See my response to Amphidextrous above.

          1. “protesters are using masks and social distancing while exercising their first amendment rights.”

            lol

          2. they are wearing masks because when they smash windows and steal stuff they won’t be recognised.

    1. Shut up, put on your seat belt, stop at red lights and stop signs in your mandatory insured vehicle, because we all know your just a sheep like everyone else. The only thing you’re proving by not wearing a mask is how much of a d-bag you are. If you were a real rebel, you wouldn’t give a sh*t if a mask smears your orange make-up.

    2. BREAKING NEWS

      Paintking announces his run for President of Seattle. Vows to stick it to those darn Libtards and Dummycrats!

      Mandatory paint huffing will be imposed to suppress brain cells and ensure 100% approval rating.

  5. Wearing masks might be our civic duty and the best defense against the virus but not at the expense of the rule of law. Authoritarianism comes with greater consequences than the virus. Taking advantage of the situation to grow your own power is what authoritarians do.

    If we are to make masks required then the legislature must pass a bill granting government the power to do it. The courts must be allowed to rule on cases.

    Let us not allow the fear of the virus to allow government to become all powerful.

    2. “Wearing masks might be our civic duty and the best defense against the virus”

      well put cory, that’s why i am wearing mine. Have a good day. Stay safe.

    3. The legislature did pass a bill granting this power… in 1969

      RCW 43.06.220
      State of emergency—Powers of governor pursuant to proclamation.
      (1) The governor after proclaiming a state of emergency and prior to terminating such, may, in the area described by the proclamation issue an order prohibiting:
      (a) Any person being on the public streets, or in the public parks, or at any other public place during the hours declared by the governor to be a period of curfew;
      (b) Any number of persons, as designated by the governor, from assembling or gathering on the public streets, parks, or other open areas of this state, either public or private;
      (c) The manufacture, transfer, use, possession or transportation of a molotov cocktail or any other device, instrument or object designed to explode or produce uncontained combustion;
      (d) The transporting, possessing or using of gasoline, kerosene, or combustible, flammable, or explosive liquids or materials in a glass or uncapped container of any kind except in connection with the normal operation of motor vehicles, normal home use or legitimate commercial use;
      (e) The sale, purchase or dispensing of alcoholic beverages;
      (f) The sale, purchase or dispensing of other commodities or goods, as he or she reasonably believes should be prohibited to help preserve and maintain life, health, property or the public peace;
      (g) The use of certain streets, highways or public ways by the public; and
      (h) Such other activities as he or she reasonably believes should be prohibited to help preserve and maintain life, health, property or the public peace.
      (2) The governor after proclaiming a state of emergency and prior to terminating such may, in the area described by the proclamation, issue an order or orders concerning waiver or suspension of statutory obligations or limitations in the following areas:
      (a) Liability for participation in interlocal agreements;
      (b) Inspection fees owed to the department of labor and industries;
      (c) Application of the family emergency assistance program;
      (d) Regulations, tariffs, and notice requirements under the jurisdiction of the utilities and transportation commission;
      (e) Application of tax due dates and penalties relating to collection of taxes;
      (f) Permits for industrial, business, or medical uses of alcohol; and
      (g) Such other statutory and regulatory obligations or limitations prescribing the procedures for conduct of state business, or the orders, rules, or regulations of any state agency if strict compliance with the provision of any statute, order, rule, or regulation would in any way prevent, hinder, or delay necessary action in coping with the emergency, unless (i) authority to waive or suspend a specific statutory or regulatory obligation or limitation has been expressly granted to another statewide elected official, (ii) the waiver or suspension would conflict with federal requirements that are a prescribed condition to the allocation of federal funds to the state, or (iii) the waiver or suspension would conflict with the rights, under the First Amendment, of freedom of speech or of the people to peaceably assemble. The governor shall give as much notice as practical to legislative leadership and impacted local governments when issuing orders under this subsection (2)(g).
      (3) In imposing the restrictions provided for by RCW 43.06.010, and 43.06.200 through 43.06.270, the governor may impose them for such times, upon such conditions, with such exceptions and in such areas of this state he or she from time to time deems necessary.
      (4) No order or orders concerning waiver or suspension of statutory obligations or limitations under subsection (2) of this section may continue for longer than thirty days unless extended by the legislature through concurrent resolution. If the legislature is not in session, the waiver or suspension of statutory obligations or limitations may be extended in writing by the leadership of the senate and the house of representatives until the legislature can extend the waiver or suspension by concurrent resolution. For purposes of this section, “leadership of the senate and the house of representatives” means the majority and minority leaders of the senate and the speaker and the minority leader of the house of representatives.

      (5) Any person willfully violating any provision of an order issued by the governor under this section is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
      [ 2019 c 472 § 2; 2008 c 181 § 1; 2003 c 53 § 222; 1969 ex.s. c 186 § 3.]

        1. It’s always surprising to me that when people scream that it’s against the law, unconstitutional, etc they haven’t bothered to look up whether or not that is a proper argument.
          You know Inslee and his people studied before making any of the mandates. The laws are easily accessible on the interwebz for all to read.

          1. Of course they did, Freja. Because they are sane, thoughtful people. That alone leaves some of our commenters in their dust.

          2. Armchair constitutional lawyer… you left out the part about 30 days… did it not fit your narrative?

          3. He posted the RCW in its entirety, so feel free to post “the part about 30 days”.

            Also, what are you gaining by being a pandemic denier? Like your typical climate change denier, everything you’ve posted on this blog is completely and (easily) demonstrably false.

          4. I Googled the statute. I can’t read it to you.
            Sorry that you feel threatened. Maybe you can find someone else to spoon feed you real information and cut your meat into tiny bites. Getting your education via memes isn’t cutting it for you.

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