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City of Fayetteville to keep mask ordinance in place despite statewide mandate ending

Under the ordinance, businesses are required to provide disposable face masks to patrons and deny entry to anyone who refuses to wear one.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The City of Fayetteville issued a reminder Tuesday (March 30) that City Ordinance 6323 requiring face coverings in public places of accommodation remains in effect despite the statewide mask mandate being lifted by Governor Asa Hutchinson.

Fayetteville City Council unanimously passed Ordinance 6323 on June 16, 2020 which requires the enforcement of face coverings in places of public accommodation to help restrict the spread of Covid-19. 

A copy of the complete ordinance is available at https://www.fayetteville-ar.gov/DocumentCenter/View/21288/Ordinance-6323.

Under the Fayetteville mask ordinance, businesses are required to provide disposable face masks to any member of the public seeking entry to that business, and they are required to deny entry to anyone who refuses to wear a face mask.

If an individual does not comply with the denial of entry, businesses may call the business support hotline established in June 2020 for assistance at 479-575-0258. The business support hotline is a non-emergency police dispatch phone line that is monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Ordinance 6323 provides businesses with access to disposable masks at no cost. Masks are available from Fire Station #1 at 303 W. Center Street in Fayetteville, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Section 5 of Ordinance 6323 specifies that an ordinance to repeal Ordinance 6323 shall be placed on the City Council’s meeting agenda immediately after the Governor’s emergency declaration ends. 

The governor says cities across the state can still adopt mask ordinances at this time. Hutchinson says he is still allowing this because he does not want to make any executive orders regarding mandates at this time.

Gov. Hutchison also announced that the public health emergency declaration has been extended for an additional 60 days.  

RELATED: Gov. Hutchinson ends statewide mask mandate in Arkansas, opens vaccine eligibility to those 16+

RELATED: Local school districts keeping mask mandates and Covid-19 safety protocols

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