Masks mandated again at Ada County Courthouse — but not on commissioners’ floor
Members of the public will soon be required to wear masks on certain levels of the Ada County Courthouse, because of a spike in COVID-19 cases in the county, the county announced Friday.
The rule, which takes effect Monday, applies to the building’s second, fourth and fifth floors, which contain the county’s various courtrooms and court-related facilities. Masks will not be required for those entering the building on the first floor.
Masks also will not be required on the third floor, which contains offices and meeting chambers for the Ada County Board of Commissioners, the county said in a news release. The floor also contains the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office.
The commission’s Republican majority has historically opposed mask mandates. County spokesperson Elizabeth Duncan said there are no plans to add mask requirements for the third floor.
The decision stems from the Idaho Supreme Court’s emergency order on June 25, which requires county courthouses to adopt COVID safety protocols if the seven-day incidence rate exceeds 25 per 100,000 residents. In Ada County, that rate is currently 28.6, according to state data.
Cases statewide have steadily risen in the wake of the delta variant, a strain of the coronavirus scientists say is far more contagious and potentially dangerous than previous iterations of the virus.
The new masking rules will remain in effect until further notice.
This story was originally published August 6, 2021 at 1:39 PM.
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