Arkansas Governor Admits ‘It Was an Error’ to Sign Law Banning Mask Mandates: ‘Facts Change’

Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson (R) defended his new position on mask mandates by acknowledging the ongoing evolution of science behind the coronavirus pandemic.

In recent days, Hutchinson has spoken about his regret for signing a ban on local mask mandates into law, now that Arkansas is looking at a Covid case surge. The governor gave an interview to CBS’s John Dickerson on Sunday for Face the Nation, where he was asked to explain why he changed his position.

Hutchinson answered by admitting “it was an error to sign that law.”

Well, facts change and leaders have to adjust to the new facts that you have and the reality of what you have to deal with. When I signed that law, our cases were low. We were hoping that the whole thing was gone in terms of the virus, but it roared back with the delta variant. We’re pushing the vaccines out, but those under 12 cannot get vaccinated in the schools. And so, I realized that we needed to have more options for our local school districts to protect those children. And so I asked the legislature to redo the law that prohibited those requirements or those options for the school districts to protect the children.

Hutchinson continued by explaining how his position changed as he saw the delta variant’s transmissibility and the danger it poses for children. Dickerson then brought up an Arkansas school district that has been put under quarantine, and he asked Hutchinson if he thinks that could’ve been avoided if school districts could choose whether to have a mask mandate.

“Well, if we would have had more vaccines out, those numbers would have been less,” Hutchinson began. “But it illustrates the point that if we’re going to have a successful school year, school districts like Marion need to have that option to require masks for those lower grades, or make the decision that’s suitable for their community.”

Watch above, via CBS.