Blair County DA Says Mask Violators Will Not Face Charges

Blair County District Attorney Pete Weeks has issued a statement regarding the Acting Secretary of Health's mask mandate for students and staff of the commonwealth's public and private schools.

Weeks said his office has been contacted by several local law enforcement agencies and school boards asking about possible prosecution of parents, students and school directors who do not follow the mandate.

"This office will not prosecute any criminal citations for alleged violations of the Department of Health's school masking mandate," Weeks said.

Weeks said his office has directed Blair County law enforcement to refrain from issuing any citations enforcing the order but to instead discuss it with violators.

"We continue to call upon our local police officers to emphasize engagement and discussion with individuals alleged to be in violation of the Governor's order rather than resort to criminalization," he said.

Weeks made it clear that his office's directive only applies to criminal liability and does not extend to any civil action.

"This office's authority is limited to criminal enforcement of our laws and does not extend legal advice to the civil, corporate, administrative, or institutional realm," he said.

Weeks also cautioned that declining to prosecute people who are not following the mask mandate does not extend to any actions such as harassment, threats, or violence directed at others for any reason, a clear message to anyone protesting the mask mandate to keep it civil and within the bounds of the law.

Weeks also declined to prosecute violators of the first mask mandate issued at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Previously, in April of 2020, this office publicly stated its position that criminal enforcement of an executively issued mask mandate is not appropriate," he said.

Weeks said rumors that people who chose to ignore the mask mandate will face arrest are false.

"To the extent that either local schools, the Governor's office, or frankly any other entity is suggesting that violations of the most recent mask mandate will result in criminal prosecution by Blair County police and prosecutors, let me make clear, that is inaccurate," he said.