Albemarle County Supervisors Impose Draconian Fines and Jail Time for Mask Violators

A reprobate Albemarle County Board of Supervisors has voted unanimously to impose draconian fines and jail time for mask-policy violators.

The all-Democrat board approved the mask-policy ordinance at an “emergency” meeting in which the public was denied participation. Albemarle County Commonwealth’s Attorney, Jim Hingeley, supported his fellow Democrats in the implementation of the new law, making sure it had sufficient penalties to ensure compliance.

Some Class 3 and Class 4 misdemeanors in the original draft ordinance were increased to Class 1 misdemeanors, which carry up to $2500 fines and up to a year in jail:

Penalty for violation of Section 5. A violation of Section 5 by the owner or tenant of the private property on which the gathering is located, is punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor. A violation of Section 5 by any person attending the gathering, after first being warned by a law enforcement officer to disperse from the gathering because it exceeds the limitation for a gathering and having failed to disperse after a reasonable period of time not to exceed two minutes, is punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor.

In addition to the despicably punitive nature of the decree, there are HIPPA issues galore.

The text mandates those claiming a “medical” exemption from masking-up, must document—in advance—their underlying medical condition:

Wearing face covering poses certain risks. Persons for whom wearing a face covering poses a bona fide and substantial mental or physical health risk, such as persons who have trouble breathing, or poses a safety or security risk to persons who are unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the face covering without assistance. For this exception to apply to any person claiming that wearing a face covering poses a substantial mental or physical health risk: (i) the person must present a valid document from a physician or other health care practitioner licensed, accredited, or certified to perform specified health care services, including mental health services, consistent with State law, specifying the medical necessity for not wearing a face covering and the date on which the person may begin wearing a face covering again; and (ii) the public place is unable to provide goods, services, or activities outdoors to the person or to the adult accompanying a child 10 years of age or under.

Mr. Hingeley insisted that such documentation would not be accepted after the “offense,” so as to ensure efficient enforcement and by extension, successful prosecution of malefactors.

Initial administration will fall to so-called “ambassadors,” who likely will be contracted through a third-party security firm.

Albemarle County’s ordinance was commended by University of Virginia President, Jim Ryan, and later was mirrored by Charlottesville City Council (who passed a slightly less punitive version).

The new ordinance may be downloaded here.

Watch Rob Schilling’s Facebook LIVE analysis of the ordinance.