User:Idelmund/Mask refusal

Legal Background on Face Masks
There is currently no judicial precedent in the United States providing that a governmental entity may require individuals to wear face masks in public settings. However, in Jacobson v. Massachusetts, the Supreme Court upheld a Massachusetts law that mandated vaccines against smallpox amidst a public health crisis, thereby acknowledging the police power of the States. As for statutes, no federal law requires individuals to wear face masks or facial coverings to preserve the public health. However, the executive branch is authorized to make any regulations deemed necessary in preventing the spread of diseases into and within the United States. The Centers for Control and Prevention (CDC) currently recommends the wearing of face masks to slow the spread of COVID-19. Following this guidance, President Biden signed an executive order requiring individuals to wear face masks on all federal property. In addition, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) requires passengers to wear face masks when traveling on all transportation networks. To enforce this rule, the TSA imposes civil penalties on riders who refuse to wear face masks while traveling on transportation networks throughout the United States.