State lawmaker to sue Orange County over mask mandate

ORLANDO, Fla. - The mask mandate already has people talking about suing.

A local state lawmaker says he plans to file a lawsuit against Orange County next week. 

After Seminole and Miami-Dade Counties, Orange County will be the third county in Florida that Rep. Anthony Sabatini, (R) Clermont, is suing over a mask mandate, calling it a violation of privacy.

"I think it’s bad precedent and it’s a dangerous step in government controlling your bodily autonomy. We’ve never done it. We’ve never allowed local governments to tell you what you have to do with your face, what you have to wear," Rep. Sabatini said.

The mandate requires everyone to wear a mask in public with some exceptions.

One of those exceptions is those who work in government.

Sabatini calls that an equal protection violation.

"It says, 'Oh, by the way, if you work for the government, this doesn’t apply to you.' So explain how that works?" Rep. Sabatini said.

He also says the details of the mandate are too vague.

"They’re all very broad which gives police officers and code enforcement officials enormous discretion into enforcing it however they’d like," he said.

Those who don't like the mask mandate think the lawsuit has some teeth.

"It should become a mandate when there is the science that’s backing that up. I just haven’t seen the science and nobody’s asking that question," said Jorge Herrera, who was visiting Orlando from Washington.

Others stand firmly by the mandate.

"I think it’s smart. We’re wearing the masks not just for our protection, but for everyone else’s protection," said Jessica Wassil, who lives in Orlando.

Rep. Sabatini said he plans to file the lawsuit next week and push for an emergency hearing to ask for a temporary injunction that would stop the mask mandate.