A Jackson County commissioner is introducing a resolution to stop enforcing any COVID-19 masking and vaccine mandates.
According to the proposed resolution, Jackson County would no longer support COVID-19 orders imposed unilaterally by state and local agencies.
County Commissioner Tony Bair introduced the resolution on Tuesday. He said he’s attempting to restore the rights and liberties of Jackson residents.
“Our constitutional liberties have been taken away from us during these totalitarian shutdowns," he said.
According to Bair, data shows children are not at a higher risk of getting the virus.
But according to data from the state Department of Health and Human Services, Michiganders 19 years of age and younger represent nearly 17% of COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic.
Bair said the resolution is a way to ensure county leaders do not implement COVID-19 mandates.
"It is merely telling the county administrator 'inform your department heads that they cannot mandate COVID vaccines to be able to come to work,'" he said. "It tells our sheriff and other agencies you're not allowed to spend to spend taxpayer money to impose the unconstitutional restrictions that our citizens."
Jackson County Commissioner Daniel Mahoney disagrees with the resolution and Bair’s assessment of the data.
“Whether it be the school systems or other public government. Public or private agencies and businesses should be allowed to enforce whatever mandates they feel like it's going to make them the safest," Mahoney said.
If passed, the resolution would prevent the use of funds or resources to enforce or implement COVID-19 orders by schools, police departments or the county’s health department.