With the 89th Iowa General Assembly now officially over, one law came in the closing minutes of the legislative session.

Governor Kim Reynolds signed into law last week banning school districts, as well as counties and cities from requiring people to wear masks on public property. House District 20 Representative Ray Sorensen says he was confident voting for this bill, due to the new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the Iowa Department of Public Health lifting its recommendations for people to wear masking if they are fully vaccinated, as well as COVID-19 not impacting children as severely as adults or those more vulnerable to the disease.

“I think this is a win for freedom and a win for Iowa. I have been flooded with people commenting on my social media, people emailing me saying, ‘Thank you, my children were thrilled.’ And ultimately, I still say it’s a freedom. If you feel like you want to continue wearing a mask, please do so.”

The new law doesn’t stop private businesses from requiring employees and/or customers to wear a mask. The new law took effect Thursday, May 20th.