
With Gov. Greg Abbott lifting Texas’ statewide mask mandate on Wednesday, 16 states no longer require face coverings.
Earlier this week, Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon announced that he is removing the statewide mask requirement on March 16.
Here are the states with no mask requirements:
- Alaska: Alaska does not require the use of masks, limit group size or business operations. All the state does is encourage Alaskans to do their part to limit the spread of Covid-19, recommending that residents practice social distancing and wear a mask, without any mandate. The mayor of Anchorage, though, has signed an order requiring people to wear face coverings in public.
- Arizona: Gov. Doug Ducey allows individual counties to mandate a mask, but does not have a statewide initiative. Scottsdale was the first to make masks mandatory starting June 19. Other major municipalities with requirements include Phoenix, Tucson and Flagstaff.
- Florida: There is no statewide mask requirement, yet some local municipalities have their own mandates.
- Georgia: Statewide, masks are required for some essential employees, including restaurants and personal care services employees. Several counties and cities have mask mandates.
- Idaho: The state does not have a statewide requirement, but several local municipalities do, including Boise.
- Iowa: Gov. Kim Reynolds lifted the requirement in February after the state implemented a mask mandate in November.
- Mississippi: Gov Tate Reeves lifted the statewide mask mandate effective March 3. Masks are still required inside schools and on campuses when physical distancing is not possible.
- Missouri: The state does not have a statewide requirement, but several local municipalities do.
- Montana: Montana had a mask mandate, but newly-elected Gov. Greg Gianforte let it expire in February, though he said local communities may continue to enforce their own mandates.
- Nebraska: There is no statewide mandate, but clients and staff in barbershops, salons, tattoo parlors and massage parlors must wear masks, as part of the current Directed Health Measure requirements.
- North Dakota: Gov. Doug Burgum let the mask mandate lapse in January
- Oklahoma: The city council in Oklahoma City voted in a special meeting in July to approve an emergency public safety ordinance requiring face coverings in indoor public places throughout Oklahoma City.
- South Carolina: Several counties and cities, including Charleston and Columbia, have mask mandates.
- South Dakota: Gov. Kristi Noem has taken a hands-off approach to Covid-19. In October, she wrote in an op-ed that the government should not mandate a mask requirement. South Dakota is second — only to North Dakota — in the number of coronavirus cases per 100,000 people.
- Tennessee: Though there is no statewide mandate, Gov. Bill Lee signed an executive order granting the mayors in 89 counties the authority to issue mask requirements.
- Texas: Gov. Greg Abbott lifted the mask mandate effective March 9. Austin Mayor Steve Adler has enacted a local mask mandate, which prompted Attorney General Ken Paxton to threaten to sue to stop the measure. Local businesses are permitted to require masks.