ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — A panel of Maryland lawmakers has approved an emergency measure to require masks in K-12 schools statewide to help stop COVID-19 from spreading.
Tuesday's vote by a joint committee of the General Assembly puts the emergency regulation into effect for up to 180 days.
The Maryland State Board of Education approved the regulation last month.
Only two of Maryland’s 24 jurisdictions, Carroll and Somerset counties, have not already required students to wear masks while attending school.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended universal mask-wearing for teachers and students inside school buildings this fall.