Governor Steve Bullock Makes Masks Mandatory in Montana

Governor Steve Bullock is making wearing a mask mandatory, effective immediately, throughout the state of Montana. At a press conference on Wednesday, the governor unveiled a directive that in all Montana counties with four or more active cases of COVID-19, face coverings/masks are required to be used in most indoor settings where social distancing can't be maintained.

As for enforcement of the directive, the governor said that he believes most Montanans will comply on their own and that while it will be up to local law enforcement to uphold it, he hopes that education will be used more than action.

"Masks are becoming more socially acceptable," the governor said. "Liberty is important . . . and while an individual may have the right to get themselves sick, they don't have the right to make others sick."

There are exceptions in the governor's directive for children under the age of five. However, all children between the ages of two and four are strongly encouraged to wear a face covering in accordance with the provisions of this Directive. The directive states that children under the age of two should not wear a face covering;

The state of Montana reported 145 new cases hours before the governor's press conference. Here in Gallatin County 42 new cases were added to our total which now sits at 528. We currently have four people hospitalized for COVID-19. We have had one person die as a result of coronavirus.