Idaho bill to prohibit mask mandates dies in state Senate

BOISE, Idaho (AP) - Legislation approved by Idaho house lawmakers prohibiting mask mandates by government entities won't get a hearing in the state Senate.

The powerful chairman of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee said Monday that the committee is no longer meeting and that he has no plans to call it back to review and discuss the mask-mandate ban bill.

Republican Sen. Fred Martin also says he's uncomfortable imposing a state law that gets between voters and their representatives at the city or county level.

Republican Gov. Brad Little never imposed a statewide mask mandate. But some counties and about a dozen cities did during the coronavirus pandemic.