State Files Suit To Stop Douglas County Mask Mandate

LINCOLN, NE (January 13, 2022)  – Governor Pete Ricketts issued a statement following news that Nebraska Attorney General (AG) Doug Peterson has filed a lawsuit to stop enforcement of the Douglas County mask mandate.  The mandate was issued by Douglas County Health Director Dr. Lindsay Huse without approval from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

As she imposed the mandate, Huse said she wanted to “give the hospitals some breathing room” to gain ground on treatment of Covid positive patients.

“Abuse of power like this undermines trust in our nation’s pandemic response,” said Gov. Ricketts.  “It’s dismaying to see Douglas County’s Health Director sidestep the proper legal channels and overreach her authority.  I fully support the Attorney General’s lawsuit to uphold the rule of law in Nebraska.”

The court filing initiated by Attorney General Peterson is available by clicking here.