York County House Members React to Court Decision on Mask Mandate

November 10, 2021

HARRISBURG – State Reps. Keith Gillespie (R-Hellam), Seth Grove (R-Dover), Mike Jones (R-Dallastown), Dawn Keefer (R-Dillsburg), Kate Klunk (R-Hanover) and Stan Saylor (R-Red Lion), majority chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement in reaction to today’s Commonwealth Court decision to invalidate the mask mandate imposed on Pennsylvania’s schools by Acting Health Secretary Alison Beam:

“Today’s decision by the court supports ‘healthy’ government, in that it protects our system of governance and the necessity for those who keep the public trust to play by the rules that are set and not make decisions based on their own desires.

“The verdict handed down by the court was not based on the effectiveness of masks or a particular political leaning. The court rendered that Acting Secretary Beam’s mask mandate was issued in the absence of a disaster emergency proclamation being in place. That simply cannot happen, nor should it be allowed to happen. In addition, she acted independently in skirting the Independent Regulatory Review Commission, the ruling body that must be consulted in issues of this sort.

“These are not mere technicalities or boundaries that can be overstepped. We have in place a system of checks and balances that must be followed if trust in government is to be maintained. Acting Secretary Beam simply did not follow the proper procedures in attempting to carry out this mandate.”


York County Republican Delegation
Pennsylvania House of Representatives