WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Tenn. — The Williamson County mask mandate, having been in effect since July 8, will expire Saturday, Aug. 29 at 11:59 p.m. according to a release from Mayor Rogers Anderson’s office.
After lots of consideration and deliberation, Mayor Anderson said he will allow the mask mandate to expire as new COVID-19 cases in Williamson County have decreased. Many residents have reportedly said they will take responsibility and wear a mask voluntarily if the mandate is lifted.
Mayor Anderson urges all residents to continue voluntarily wearing a mask when in public spaces where social distancing is not possible, especially indoors when people are in close proximity to each other.
Residents will still be required to wear masks in all county-owned buildings; orders from the Tennessee Supreme Court will also continue to apply and people will need to wear face coverings in buildings where court is held.
Businesses, however, will have the ability to decide whether or not to require masks for their employees, while customers are encouraged to wear masks while inside.
As a reminder, the mask mandate’s expiration does not affect the policies of the Williamson County School system. Rules applicable to students within schools will continue to be enforced by the Board of Education and school superintendents for the school districts.
Mayor Anderson encourages all residents to continue wearing masks voluntarily as doing so can help keep schools and businesses open. The mayor also said wearing a mask shows respect and concern for neighbors.
Lastly, residents are encouraged to support businesses protecting their employees and customers by requiring masks.
On July 3, Gov. Bill Lee signed Executive Order 54, giving county mayors in 89 Tennessee counties the authority to issue mask mandates for their respective counties. Williamson County’s mask mandate went into effect on July 8.