MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A hearing is being scheduled Monday to determine if a court order blocking a new state law will stay in place.
A federal judge blocked that law yesterday.
The law was signed Friday by Governor Lee, and there has been some criticism ever since.
This latest order is the result of a lawsuit filed against the governor back in September.
A group of parents in his home district of Williamson County claim the governor and his administration are putting their children at risk of catching COVID-19.
On Sunday, the judge blocked a new state law banning mask mandates in schools.
We have not heard from Shelby County Schools on whether or not masks will still be required in classrooms this morning, but Shelby County’s health director has said the mask mandate will stay in place until the new law takes effect.
Now that the law is on hold, SCS can still require masks.
Meanwhile, several suburban school districts say they’ll continue to make masks optional. Germantown, Collierville and Bartlett all say they’ll leave that decision to parents.
The news comes as the number of new COVID cases in Shelby county starts to tick up again. Children under the age of 18 make up a third of all the new cases.
Meanwhile, the Shelby County health department has extended its vaccination hours for kids 5-11. Its immunization clinic will be open today through Thursday from 8a.m. to 7:30p.m with no appointment needed.
This new law will strip the power of local health agencies, public schools, and some private businesses to put vaccine requirements in place.
There will be a hearing at 1 p.m. Monday, where the judge will decide if his order will stay in place.