Montpelier, Vt. — This afternoon, Lt. Governor Gray released the following statement in response to the Senate’s passing of special session bill S.1:

“We remain in a pandemic. It's not over. We're not out of the woods yet. Vermonters need to be reminded of all they can do to keep their families, especially those yet to be vaccinated, and communities safe.

As statewide leaders, we need to continue to provide leadership and guidance. That's our responsibility, and especially during times of crisis. As publicly stated in September, I continue to believe that a clear statewide masking policy is needed. I know this because I've met with Vermonters directly in communities across our state these last several months. The current guidance is not clear.

In the absence of a clear policy, giving local leaders the support and tools they need to keep our communities protected through the passage of S.1 is a step forward, but it's no substitute for what is needed.”

Original source can be found here.