Pass A Data-Driven Statewide Mask Mandate Out of Committees Now

Vermont House Committee on Human Services and Senate Committee on Health and Welfare

Vermonters in every town need this simple & effective protection during the pandemic.

The second anniversary of the covid pandemic is nearly here in Vermont. We are facing the biggest surge yet–with thousands of Vermonters infected daily, record number of hospitalizations, and the grim milestone of over 500 now dead. Omicron is the most contagious variant yet. There is no guarantee there won’t be a worse variant to come.

Passing a data-driven mask mandate now prepares Vermont to be ready to #MaskUp as infections rise and scale back when rates retreat. It is a smart, science-based approach to public health policy that is responsive to current conditions and doesn’t require special legislative sessions to renew.

Countless studies have shown that a combination of public safety measures curb community spread of the virus: vaccines, free and accessible testing, good indoor ventilation, and masking.

A data-driven statewide mask mandate is the easiest, fastest, and most cost-effective way to bring the infection numbers down across the state. It will improve lives, health, and the economy.

The data-driven mask mandate bill, H.537, has stalled in the House Committee on Human Services and is still only a draft as S.550 in the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare. Let’s give these legislators the support they need to prove that Vermonters overwhelmingly support these bills.

Call to Action: Help fill the inboxes and voicemails of House Committee Chair Pugh and Senate Committee Chair Lyons with your support to move on bills H.537 and S.550.

Also, encourage Pro Tem Senator Balint and Speaker Krowinski to publicly champion these bills for passage by the Senate and House.

We call for the passage of this bill out of committees and to a public, recorded vote on the house and senate floors. Vermont lawmakers, do not let the threat of a Governor Scott veto of this bill dismantle the democratic process in Vermont.

We Know Mask Mandates Work!

The case for mask-mandates has never been clearer. Here are some key points to remind the House Committee about:

State leadership on COVID prevention policies makes an enormous difference.

  • Mask wearing in states with mask policies: 64%

  • Mask wearing on average in the US: 45%

  • When Vermont had a mask mandate, over 80% of Vermonters reported complying, compared to just 50% today with just a handful of municipalities with mandates in place.

Vermonters support a mask mandate! People will wear masks.

  • According to a VPR and VT PBS poll from January, 2022, nearly 60% of Vermonters support a mask mandate.

  • As of January 10, 2022, 87% of Americans report wearing masks, with the majority of these folks (73%) wearing them often.

  • Despite the Governor saying he wasn’t hearing from Vermonters wanting a mask mandate, a public records request this fall found that 357 Vermonters contacted the Governor’s office about Covid. 90% of these comments were a request for at least a statewide mask mandate.

Mask policies reduce the spread of COVID-19.

  • A study by the CDC found that masks can achieve over 95% effectiveness when worn by both an infected person and an exposed person.

  • When combined with vaccines, mask-mandates do a great job at reducing community transmission. A recent op ed in USA Today from New England public health researchers and physicians pointed out: “The clear endgame for mask policies is to control severe disease by reducing the spread of COVID and giving time for more children and adults to be protected by vaccines. The state of Nevada has a smart, data-driven policy that guides counties in turning indoor mask policies on and off based on cases. The data-driven approach is well suited to the New England region. The policy has something for everyone – it ensures indoor mask policies are time-limited to protect everyone when it’s most important to do so and allows people to take off masks indoors when it’s safer to do so.”

Temporary municipal mask mandates will not work.

A town by town approach is not grounded in science. Many schools draw from several communities, people work and live in different cities and towns. According to Anne Sosin, MPH, Policy Fellow at the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center at Dartmouth College, “viral transmission does not respect town boundaries, and piecemeal policies to disrupt it will therefore be less efficient. Public health strategies work best when designed with common policies, metrics, and communications.”

Vermont lawmakers, please take up this bill and pass it out of committee immediately.

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After signing this petition, please call and email the chairs, committee members, Speaker of the House and Pro Tem of the Senate. Tell them you support the data-driven mask mandate bill and to bring H.537 and S.550 before their committees for testimony and votes ASAP.

Vermont House Committee on Human Services

Vermont Senate Committee on Health and Welfare

  • Sen. Virginia "Ginny" Lyons, Chair (D, Chittenden): vlyons@leg.state.vt.us, (802) 828-2228

  • Sen. Ruth Hardy, Vice Chair (D, Addison): rhardy@leg.state.vt.us, (802) 989-5278

  • Sen. Ann Cummings (D, Washington): acummings@leg.state.vt.us, (802) 223-6043

  • Sen. Cheryl Hooker (D, Rutland): chooker@leg.state.vt.us, (802) 828-2228

  • Sen. Joshua Terenzini, Clerk (R, Rutland): jterenzini@leg.state.vt.us, (802) 828-2228

  • Aaron DeNamur, Committee Assistant: adenamur@leg.state.vt.us

Speaker of the House Office

Speaker Jill Krowinski (D, Burlington): jkrowinski@leg.state.vt.us. (802) 828-2228

Speaker’s office: Speaker@leg.state.vt.us, (802) 828-2245                        

Pro Tem of the Senate Office

Senator Becca Balint (D, Windham): bbalint@leg.state.vt.us, (802) 365-1060

Pro Tem office: (802) 828-3806
Petition by
Lu Mulvaney Stanek
Lu Mulvaney Stanek
Burlington, Vermont
Sponsored by
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#VTersForMasks

To: Vermont House Committee on Human Services and Senate Committee on Health and Welfare
From: [Your Name]

​To the Vermont House Committee on Human Services & Senate Committee on Health and Welfare​:

I urge you to take up and pass H.537 and S.550 which will create a data-driven mask mandate for Vermont. It is a smart, science based approach to public health policy that is responsive to current conditions.

Countless studies have shown that a combination of public safety measures curb community spread of the virus: vaccines, free and accessible testing, good indoor ventilation, and masking.

A data-driven statewide mask mandate is the easiest, fastest, and cost-effective way to bring the infection numbers down across the state. It will improve lives, health, and the economy.

Please act today.