Statement on Veto of "Free the Smiles Act"

Raleigh, N.C. – Sen. Deanna Ballard (R-Watauga), the chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee, released the following statement on Gov. Cooper's veto of Senate Bill 173, "Free the Smiles Act," which passed with a bipartisan vote in both chambers of the General Assembly:  

"It's past time to return the decision-making power to parents who can best evaluate their family’s needs. Gov. Cooper continues to work against parents and ignore the science that shows children are at a lower risk for developing severe illness but are having development setbacks because of masking. That science hasn’t changed for months. The only thing that has changed is the political science, and Gov. Cooper knows that."