CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Gov. Bill Lee on Friday afternoon signed a wide-reaching bill strictly limiting what governments can require to address the COVID-19 pandemic, ending mask mandates at all public universities, including Austin Peay State University.
APSU sent out an email to the campus Friday morning explaining the changes.
“When the new law takes effect, it will prohibit the university from requiring individuals to wear masks while on campus,” the email said. “While the university can no longer require masks inside buildings, everyone is expected to respect an individual’s choice to wear a mask or not.”
The email reminded that the Fort Campbell campus is not on APSU property and falls under Fort Campbell’s policies.
Major restrictions in the bill would largely bar governments and businesses from requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccinations, and only let public entities — including schools — require masks due to COVID-19 in rare, dire public health scenarios, according to the Associated Press.
Clarksville-Montgomery County Schools lifted its local school mask mandate earlier this week.
The law now takes immediate effect in Tennessee and will almost certainly face swift legal challenges, according to The Tennessean.