Yellowstone County’s top health official rescinded that county’s health orders on Thursday after Gov. Greg Gianforte signaled he would roll back the statewide mask mandate.

John Felton, the Yellowstone County Health Officer, said during a Thursday press conference that the county’s mandates, which were stricter than statewide orders, would immediately be rescinded. Those included gathering size limits that extended to churches, places of worship and other businesses like salons and gyms.

The county will still be subject to all statewide health orders, Felton said. 

Felton said he made the move “out of respect for Governor Gianforte’s authority to manage the pandemic according to his policies,” while also saying new daily COVID-19 cases have dropped from a peak of 106 per 100,000 people just before Thanksgiving to 34 per 100,000 last week. 

Gianforte earlier this week said he planned to cancel the statewide mask mandate and would consider reversing other health orders that limited gathering sizes and operation hours for some businesses. 

The move comes as at least one other municipal government in Montana, the city of Whitefish, on Monday passed a three-month mask mandate to take effect when Gianforte rescinds the state’s mask mandate. 

latest stories

Sober living home operators push back against oversight bill

Legislation to bring a layer of oversight to Montana’s addiction recovery residences faced strong pushback during a committee hearing Thursday, signaling hurdles for bill supporters concerned that the industry operates without consistent safety or ethical standards.

Montana Indian Child Welfare Act gets a Senate hearing

The Senate Public Health and Human Safety Committee heard House Bill 317, which would create the Montana Indian Child Welfare Act and reinforce protections for the state’s Native children by prioritizing tribal involvement in the state’s child placement processes. The bill is under consideration as the federal Indian Child Welfare Act is challenged in the…

How to claim your Montana tax rebates

Montana’s GOP-controlled Legislature put $764 million into tax rebates refunding residents’ income and property taxes. Here’s what you need to do to make sure you get your share.

Chris covers Native American issues as a Report for America Corps member based in Billings. He also monitors the Montana Supreme Court, federal courts and criminal justice issues. Before joining MTFP in 2020, Chris most recently covered tribal affairs and Wyoming's Wind River Reservation for the Casper Star-Tribune, and has also reported for the Wisconsin State Journal. Contact Chris at caadland@montanafreepress.org, 406-465-3386 ext. 4, and follow @cjaadland on Twitter.