The North Carolina State Senate has voted along party lines this week to ban wearing masks in public.

Seventy years ago some states passed anti-mask laws as a response to the Ku Klux Klan, whose members often hid their identities dressed in robes and hoods.

The North Carolina bill repeals an exception to the old anti-mask laws that was enacted during the early phase of the Covid-19 pandemic, which allows people to wear masks in public for “health and safety reasons.”

According to The Hill, Republican supporters of the ban said it would help law enforcement “crack down on pro-Palestine protesters who wear masks.” They accuse demonstrators of “abusing Covid-19 pandemic-era practices to hide their identities.”

To reinforce the deterrent, the proposed law states that if a person is arrested for protesting while masked, authorities would elevate the classification of the misdemeanor or felony by one level.

Democrats in North Carolina have raised concerns about the bill, particularly for the immunocompromised or those who may want to continue to wear masks during cancer treatments. And others have also chimed in, including Jerome Adams, former Surgeon General in the Trump Administration, who posted on Twitter that “it’s disturbing to think immunocompromised and cancer patients could be deemed criminals for following medical advice aimed at safeguarding their health.”

Additionally, there are folks who may have legitimate health reasons for wearing medical masks, including asthma sufferers, people exposed to wildfire and smoke or individuals who want to protect themselves, their families and others from pathogens like Covid-19 and influenza.

Indeed, for decades people across Asia have worn masks for a variety of reasons, as USA Today explained at the outset of the coronavirus epidemic. Japanese often wear masks when sick to curb transmission. Philippine motorcycle riders will put on face coverings to protect from exhaust fumes in heavy traffic. Similarly, citizens of Taiwan use masks to protect themselves from air pollution and airborne germs.

There are exemptions incorporated into the proposed ban, including for Halloween or specific types of work that require face coverings. There’s even an exception that specifically allows members of a “secret society or organization to wear masks or hoods in a parade or demonstration if they obtain a permit,” as WRAL in Raleigh, North Carolina reports.

Upon reading this, a Democratic State Senator in North Carolina, Sydney Batch, asked, “so this bill will protect the Ku Klux Klan to wear masks in public, but someone who’s immunocompromised like myself cannot wear a mask?”

It’s noteworthy that if a group like the KKK were to file for and obtain a permit to demonstrate, under the proposed law they could wear face coverings. And this isn’t a theoretical point. The KKK has a history of organizing rallies in North Carolina, like one they held in 2019. The question is, could pro-Palestinian demonstrators get a similar permit now and be allowed to wear masks or other face coverings? Presumably not.

The American Civil Liberties Union argues that the law is specifically being used to target those who wear face coverings while protesting the war in Gaza, which in the ACLU’s view amounts to “selective prosecution of a disfavored movement.”

There are other legal aspects that could also be invoked that pertain to the constitutionality of such a ban.

Remember when at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic wearing a mask was mandatory in public places in many jurisdictions as well as federal buildings and property and this provoked an outcry from people on the grounds of freedom of choice? Judges overturned certain mask mandates at both the federal and state levels and did so on constitutional grounds. By the same token, though in a kind of role reversal, it could now be argued that by banning masks people won’t be able to exercise their freedom of choice to protect themselves. It stands to reason that a constitutional law debate could ensue if the North Carolina ban goes into effect.

In the meantime, the bill now moves to the House for the next vote. From there it may head to Governor Roy Cooper’s desk. He’s a Democrat and will likely veto the legislation. But the North Carolina Republican Party has a supermajority and can override a possible veto.

HERRIMAN, Utah (Thursday, May 16, 2024) – Utah Royals FC (1-7-1, 4 pts, 14th NWSL) finishes its three-match road stint against North Carolina Courage (4-5-0, 12 pts, 6th NWSL) on Friday at Wakemed Soccer Park with kickoff slated for 8:00pm ET.

The Royals make their debut on Amazon Prime against North Carolina Courage after suffering a Sunday afternoon 3-1 loss to Chicago Red Stars where Cameron Tucker notched her first competitive professional goal. Receiving a pass from fellow BYU graduate, Michele Vasconcelos, Tucker cut inside, beating one player before unleashing a missile to the upper right corner of the Chicago goal from 25+ yards out. The goal scored in the 81st minute brought new life to the Royals, but the squad was ultimately unable to utilize the momentum, conceding a third goal in stoppage time, 90+7’.

This is the second time that head coach Amy Rodriguez’s side will play an opponent they have faced before this season, the first being the Red Stars whom the Royals opened the season against. In the first meeting between the two sides, Utah triumphed behind Ally Sentnor’s incredible first professional goal and a header from Kate Del Fava, despite North Carolina recording a 2.3 xG. The Royals have quietly been improving while simultaneously playing their collective brand of soccer dictated by Rodriguez and her staff, maintaining possession and picking their moments to attack.

WATCH LIVE on AMAZON PRIME :: Utah Royals FC vs. North Carolina Courage | Wakemed Soccer Park | 6:00 p.m. MT |

LISTEN via KSL Sports Radio (102.7 FM / 1160 AM) starting at 5:00 p.m. MT

The Courage currently sit in 6th in the NWSL standings, having suffered five losses this season, but recording no draws. North Carolina enters this match on the heels of a three-match road trip which saw them score one goal and concede six enroute to three straight losses. Returning home, they will look to leverage their friendly crowd to pull themselves out of the downward spiral.

Following Friday’s match in North Carolina, the Royals will return to America First Field on May 25 to take on Kansas City Current at 8:00 p.m. MT (tickets are available at https://www.rsl.com/utahroyals/tickets/single).

North Carolina officials are touting the expansion of contraceptive services at pharmacies across the state.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services says residents statewide will soon have greater access to contraceptive services at pharmacies without a prescription from another medical provider.

That access includes counseling regarding contraception options, the prescribing of contraceptive pills and patches, and referrals to ongoing care.

This new protocol of allowing pharmacists to provide care is intended to fill coverage gaps, especially in rural areas that are considered maternal health deserts.

Professor Mollie Scott is Associate Dean for the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy. She notes that nearly half the patients consulting pharmacists don’t have a primary care physician.

“And so one of the ways that we can impact that is by working upstream and making sure that women have options for their reproductive health, and that they can have more autonomy and planning when and if they want to have children.”

Officials say that more than half of all pregnancies in North Carolina are unintentional and can lead to poor outcomes for mothers and infants.