On Thursday, 178 House Democrats wrote to Gov. Chris Sununu urging him to impose a Massachusetts-style mandatory mask order for New Hampshire.
“Many states across the U.S., including border states Maine and Massachusetts, have established mandatory mask-wearing orders in conjunction with the calculated reopening of their businesses. These orders, which only apply when someone is unable to socially distance in public, are necessary to protect the public and give people confidence that they can go out safely, without increased risk of infection,” House Democrats wrote.
“Given recent attempts to denigrate and politicize the concept of mask wearing as a violation of personal freedom, consistent guidelines will be imperative to the success of Stay At Home 2.0 and future reopening efforts,” the Democrats added.
“While inaction [on a mask mandate] will be viewed as tacit permission to ignore the guidelines that are so necessary to our economic rebound, adopting this commonsense order will protect public health and uphold the regional unity needed for a strong economic reopening across New England.”
The letter comes a day after the city of Nashua’s Board of Public Health unanimously recommended that the city require masks for all shoppers and diners in the city’s businesses. The proposal is expected to pass the full Board of Aldermen.
The Union-Leader reports Alderwoman Linda Harriott-Gathright complained that “not everyone in Nashua is wearing a mask while grocery shopping, and some people are not following one-way directional signs in store aisles.”
“It has been a challenge, to be honest with you, here in Nashua,” Harriott-Gathright said. “I am very happy that we are even considering that Nashua become a mask city, and particularly because we are a border town.”
In Salem, N.H., however, a proposal for a mask mandate with a $200 fine was tabled without a vote on Monday, due to public opposition. Neither the New Hampshire House or the city of Nashua have announced what level of fines or enforcement they support for their mandate.
“The Governor recommends wearing a mask in scenarios where social distancing cannot be practiced, like when he goes grocery shopping, but does not believe a mandate is needed at this time,” Sununu’s spokesperson Ben Vihstadt told NHJournal.
In the past, Sununu has rejected the idea of mandating mask wearing in New Hampshire.
“We always recommend people wear a mask, of course. We recommend it, but we’re not at a point where we’re mandating and fining people for it, definitely not,” Sununu told radio host Jack Heath earlier this month. “We’re working, for example, with the retailers and the barbershops, they’re helping create the guidance document.
“So we don’t need to send the ‘stay-at-home’ police out there to start arresting people. That’s not the goal,” Sununu said at the time.
House Republican Leader Dick Hinch (R-Merrimack) issued a statement in response:
“CDC and public health guidance we currently have in place are reasonable. New Hampshire citizens are being responsible in following them. Municipalities have the ability to take further steps if they feel it’s necessary. What Nashua believes is right for their community may not be right for Littleton or any other similar community, and we have to recognize that. It does not seem to be the New Hampshire Way to stop people on the street who choose not to wear a mask. It is unenforceable, and it would create more chaos. Business and individuals can currently make choices to avoid unnecessary contact with people, with or without masks, and to make this a government mandate goes too far.”
THE LIST OF NEW HAMPSHIRE DEMOCRATS WHO SIGNED THE LETTER IS BELOW:
Majority Leader Douglas Ley – Cheshire District 9
Deputy Majority Leader Marjorie Porter – Hillsborough District 1
Representative Michael Abbott – Cheshire District 1
Representative Richard Abel – Grafton District 13
Representative Susan Almy – Grafton District 13
Representative Debra Altschiller – Rockingham District 19
Representative Robert Backus – Hillsborough District 19
Representative Chris Balch – Hillsborough District 38
Representative Christy Bartlett – Merrimack District 19
Representative Jane Beaulieu – Hillsborough District 45
Representative Paul Berch – Cheshire District 1
Representative Jennifer Bernet – Hillsborough District 4
Representative Skip Berrien, MD – Rockingham District 18
Representative Peter Bixby – Strafford District 17
Representative John Bordenet – Cheshire District 5
Representative Bill Bordy – Hillsborough District 28
Representative Jim Bosman – Hillsborough District 38
Representative Don Bouchard – Hillsborough District 11
Representative Amanda Bouldin – Hillsborough District 12
Representative Andrew Bouldin – Hillsborough District 12
Representative Ryan Buchanan – Merrimack District 15
Representative Thomas Buco – Carroll District 2
Representative Lisa Bunker – Rockingham District 18
Representative Anita Burroughs – Carroll District 1
Representative Pat Bushway – Rockingham District 21
Representative Ed Butler – Carroll District 7
Representative Michael Cahill – Rockingham District 17
Representative Polly Campion – Grafton District 12
Representative Gerri Cannon – Strafford District 18
Representative Clyde Carson – Merrimack District 7
Representative Wendy Chase – Strafford District 18
Representative Skip Cleaver – Hillsborough District 35
Representative John Cloutier – Sullivan District 10
Representative Bruce Cohen – Hillsborough District 28
Representative Patricia Cornell – Hillsborough District 18
Representative David Cote – Hillsborough District 31
Representative David Coursin, MD – Rockingham District 1
Representative Renny Cushing – Rockingham District 21
Representative Paul Dargie – Hillsborough District 23
Representative Fred Davis – Hillsborough District 31
Representative Kathy Desjardin – Hillsborough District 13
Representative Edith DesMarais – Carroll District 6
Representative Francesca Diggs – Grafton District 16
Representative Charlotte DiLorenzo – Rockingham District 17
Representative David Doherty – Merrimack District 20
Representative Roger Dontonville – Grafton District 10
Representative Sherry Dutzy – Hillsborough District 30
Representative Daniel Eaton – Cheshire District 3
Representative Karen Ebel – Merrimack District 5
Representative Michael Edgar – Rockingham District 21
Representative Tim Egan – Grafton District 2
Representative Mary Eisner – Rockingham District 6
Representative Donna Ellis – Strafford District 8
Representative Art Ellison – Merrimack District 27
Representative Manny Espitia – Hillsborough District 31
Representative Kristina Fargo – Strafford District 14
Representative Barry Faulkner – Cheshire District 12
Representative Sallie Fellows – Grafton District 8
Representative Sue Ford – Grafton District 3
Representative Samantha Fox – Merrimack District 23
Representative Mary Freitas – Hillsborough District 14
Representative Elaine French – Grafton District 14
Representative Sherry Frost – Strafford District 16
Representative Joyce Fulweiler – Merrimack District 3
Representative Kenneth Gidge – Hillsborough District 33
Representative Julie Gilman – Rockingham District 18
Representative Chuck Grassie – Strafford District 11
Representative Willis Griffith – Hillsborough District 18
Representative Heidi Hamer – Hillsborough District 17
Representative Linda Harriott-Gathright – Hillsborough District 36
Representative Cathryn Harvey – Cheshire District 1
Representative Bill Hatch – Coos District 6
Representative Mary Heath – Hillsborough District 14
Representative Christopher Herbert – Hillsborough District 43
Representative Peg Higgins – Strafford District 22
Representative Timothy Horrigan – Strafford District 6
Representative Greg Indruk – Hillsborough District 34
Representative Timothy Josephson – Grafton District 11
Representative David Karrick – Merrimack District 25
Representative Sandra Keans – Strafford District 23
Representative Cam Kenney – Strafford District 6
Representative Mark King – Hillsborough District 33
Representative Patricia Klee – Hillsborough District 30
Representative Nicole Klein – Hillsborough District 11
Representative Jerry Knirk – Carroll District 3
Representative Connie Lane – Merrimack District 12
Representative Diane Langley – Hillsborough District 8
Representative Tamara Le – Rockingham District 31
Representative Peter Leishman – Hillsborough District 24
Representative Cassandra Levesque – Strafford District 4
Representative Patrick Long – Hillsborough District 10
Representative Tom Loughman – Rockingham District 21
Representative Patricia Lovejoy – Rockingham District 36
Representative David Luneau – Merrimack District 10
Representative Jim MacKay – Merrimack District 14
Representative Kevin Maes – Grafton District 6
Representative Jim Maggiore – Rockingham District 22
Representative Latha Mangipudi – Hillsborough District 35
Representative John Mann – Cheshire District 2
Representative Joelle Martin – Hillsborough District 23
Representative Becky McBeath – Rockingham District 26
Representative Liz McConnell – Rockingham District 11
Representative Gary Merchant – Sullivan District 4
Representative David Meuse – Rockingham District 29
Representative Howard Moffett – Merrimack District 9
Representative Donna Mombourquette – Hillsborough District 5
Representative David Morrill – Cheshire District 4
Representative Wayne Moynihan – Coos District 2
Representative Mary Jane Mulligan – Grafton District 12
Representative Nancy Murphy – Hillsborough District 21
Representative Kate Murray – Rockingham District 24
Representative Garrett Muscatel – Grafton District 12
Representative Mel Myler – Merrimack District 10
Representative Ray Newman – Hillsborough District 29
Representative Sue Newman – Hillsborough District 29
Representative Sharon Nordgren – Grafton District 12
Representative Fran Nutter-Upham – Hillsborough District 33
Representative Allison Nutting-Wong – Hillsborough District 32
Representative Michael O’Brien – Hillsborough District 36
Representative Linn Opderbecke – Strafford District 15
Representative Dick Osborne – Grafton District 7
Representative Henry Parkhurst – Cheshire District 13
Representative Will Pearson – Cheshire District 16
Representative Michael Pedersen – Hillsborough District 32
Representative Peter Petrigno – Hillsborough District 23
Representative Dan Pickering – Hillsborough District 3
Representative Israel Piedra – Hillsborough District 9
Representative Rod Pimentel – Merrimack District 6
Representative Josh Query – Hillsborough District 16
Representative Julie Radhakrishnan – Hillsborough District 22
Representative Ellen Read – Rockingham District 17
Representative Cecilia Rich – Strafford District 18
Representative Cole Riel – Hillsborough District 6
Representative Beth Rodd – Merrimack District 6
Representative George Saunderson – Merrimack District 9
Representative Tom Schamberg – Merrimack District 4
Representative Joe Schapiro – Cheshire District 16
Representative Janice Schmidt – Hillsborough District 28
Representative Peter Schmidt – Strafford District 19
Representative Dianne Schuett – Merrimack District 20
Representative Kristina Schultz – Merrimack District 18
Representative Suzanne Smith – Grafton District 8
Representative Ken Snow – Hillsborough District 19
Representative Catherine Sofikitis – Hillsborough District 34
Representative Peter Somssich – Rockingham District 27
Representative Timothy Soucy – Merrimack District 16
Representative Thomas Southworth – Strafford District 20
Representative Judith Spang – Strafford District 6
Representative Michelle St. John – Hillsborough District 27
Representative Kathryn Stack – Hillsborough District 21
Representative Laurel Stavis – Grafton District 13
Representative Deb Stevens – Hillsborough District 34
Representative Brian Sullivan – Sullivan District 1
Representative Sandy Swinburne – Cheshire District 10
Representative George Sykes – Grafton District 13
Representative Linda Tanner – Sullivan District 9
Representative Bruce Tatro – Cheshire District 15
Representative Yvonne Thomas – Coos District 3
Representative Wendy Thomas – Hillsborough District 21
Representative Craig Thompson – Cheshire District 14
Representative Dan Toomey – Hillsborough District 32
Representative Matt Towne – Strafford District 4
Representative Susan Treleaven – Strafford District 17
Representative Alan Turcotte – Merrimack District 22
Representative Sue Vail – Hillsborough District 30
Representative Connie Van Houten – Hillsborough District 45
Representative Ivy Vann – Hillsborough District 24
Representative Mary Jane Wallner – Merrimack District 10
Representative Mary Beth Walz – Merrimack District 23
Representative Gerald Ward – Rockingham District 28
Representative Safiya Wazir – Merrimack District 17
Representative Lucy Weber – Cheshire District 1
Representative Ken Wells – Merrimack District 1
Representative Joyce Weston – Grafton District 8
Representative Matt Wilhelm – Hillsborough District 42
Representative Kermit Williams – Hillsborough District 4
Representative Steve Woodcock – Carroll District 2
Representative Gary Woods – Merrimack District 23
