SALT LAKE CITY-Friday, the Utah House of Representatives voted to overturn mask mandates in Salt Lake and Summit Counties imposed earlier this month.

This means that Wasatch County residents who travel into Summit County for various reasons will not be required to wear a mask.

The joint resolution to terminate the mask orders, SJR3, including the student mask mandate in Salt Lake City, passed by a 45-29 vote.

SJR3, created by Riverton Republican Sen. Daniel McCay, passed the Senate Tuesday via a 22-5 vote.

Tuesday was the first day of the Utah Legislature’s 2022 General Session.

Since SJR3 is a joint resolution, it does not need Utah Republican Gov. Spencer Cox’s signature to become law.

Furthermore, Cox lacks the power to veto it.

This authority for the Utah Legislature dates back to May 4, 2021, when the Legislature gave itself the ability to overturn local health orders by virtue of SB195.

This has colloquially come to be known as the COVID-19 endgame bill.

McCay said Utahns “do not like it when we make decisions for them. They just don’t.”

Democratic senators voting against the resolution said the state Legislature should leave mask mandates up to local control.

Had the Utah Legislature not decided to act Friday, Salt Lake County’s mask mandate would have been set to expire February 7 and Summit County’s February 21.