MACON, Ga. — You've heard of mask mandates, but what about an "anti-mask mandate?"
A 13WMAZ viewer called in to tell us about a Macon gun shop that doesn't allow mask-wearing inside. The Macon woman said she was worried about COVID-19, but when she put her mask on, an employee asked her to take it off or leave. She asked us if that was legal.
At first, it may take you by surprise. A "No Masks Allowed," sign may make you ask, 'Am I reading that right?' If you're at Classic Firearms on Macon's Northside Drive, the answer is yes.
"It may not make sense to some of us, but if that's what he chooses to do, that is his prerogative to do," said Macon-Bibb Solicitor General Rebecca Grist.
Grist says at one point, there were a lot of mask restrictions in Georgia.
"You could be stopped. You could be arrested for concealing your identity with a mask," she said.
Some of those restrictions are still in effect. Section 16-11-38 of the Georgia Code makes it illegal to wear a mask on public land or on private property without permission. There were always exceptions, but during the pandemic, a line was added making it legal to wear a mask for health reasons.
"They basically wrote an amendment to it that allowed for people to wear masks in- and outdoors, obviously for the public health," said Michael Bixon.
Bixon is an Atlanta-based defense attorney. It may seem simple enough, but there's another issue here: the question of private property.
"The essence of it is he is the owner of a private property. The owner of a private property can dictate the conditions that they will allow you to come into their establishment or into their home," Grist said.
The only place it may get confusing is for a person with health conditions or other disabilities.
"I do believe that the business first has to find an alternative means of accommodation for that individual under the ADA," Bixon said.
So, yes, we can verify that it is legal for a business to deny you entry if you are wearing a mask.
13WMAZ went to Classic Firearms on Friday. A store employee declined comment and asked us to leave. He did say the no-mask policy is for security purposes.