CNN reports that Georgia Governor Brian Kemp is dropping the lawsuit he ordered filed against Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and the Atlanta City Council for the city's requirement on masks.
As WGXA ABC-16 writes, Atlanta mandates that anyone in public indoor spaces and certain outdoor locations wear a mask to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Bottoms announced a roll-back to Phase 1 public health recommendations as Georgia sees an spike in coronavirus cases and deaths.
Kemp claimed that local government orders cannot be "more or less restrictive" than state government orders, effectively taking any regulatory control away from local governments.
Kemp said in a statement he'll address the issue in an executive order, bypassing the courts: "Given this stalemate in negotiations, we will address this very issue in the next Executive Order. We will continue to protect the lives and livelihoods of all Georgians."