Palmetto pastor joins with Florida lawmaker to file lawsuit over Manatee mask mandate
A group of anti-mask mandate protesters will be joined by a Florida lawmaker Monday morning as they announce their decision to file a lawsuit against Manatee County Government.
A “freedom rally” led by a Palmetto pastor and State Rep. Anthony Sabatini is planned for outside the Manatee County Courthouse, 1115 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton. In a release, the group said it will file suit against the county government’s “overreach.”
“The medical mask mandate is an overreach of the government without due consideration for the difficulty and abridgment of religious practice placed upon Manatee County houses of worship,” the release said. “This rally will promote the idea that our government must limit itself and that it has overstepped constitutional boundaries of freedom of religion, private property and personal liberty.”
The Manatee Board of County Commissioners voted earlier this week to approve a mandatory mask resolution meant to help limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The county’s guidelines require businesses to post signs and customers must wear masks inside where social distancing isn’t possible.
As of Thursday morning, more than 8,300 people had tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Manatee.
Sabatini, a Republican lawmaker who represents parts of Lake County in Central Florida, has filed similar suits across the state, including in Pinellas County, Duval County and Hillsborough County. According to the Miami New-Times, Sabatini’s suits haven’t seen any success yet.
Manatee County’s implementation of the mask mandate is based on Leon County’s model, which a judge upheld in court against one of Sabatini’s lawsuit attempts.
Wearing a mask or face covering in public is the official recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Florida Surgeon General Scott Rivkees and the Department of Health in Manatee County.
Anti-mask advocates, however, have said they believe a blanket requirement for everyone to wear masks, even in private businesses, goes too far. For Rev. Joel Tillis, pastor at Suncoast Baptist Church, 1816 10th St. W., Palmetto, the issue boils down to how the resolution lumps houses of worship in with private businesses.
“There was not a deep fundamental protection from our commissioners for our worship and religious liberty. They said you’re the same as a Wal-Mart or Taco Bell,” Tillis said in an interview with the Bradenton Herald.
“We hear them say public safety is their No. 1 job, but that’s not their No. 1 job — it’s to defend our unalienable rights,” he added, referring to the separation of church and state.
At Suncoast Baptist Church, touch and proximity are vital to religious expression, Tillis explained.
“The idea of (social distancing in a) church tells me that whoever passes that resolution fundamentally misunderstands what any religion does. Any religion necessitates human touch, friendship and contact,” Tillis said. “These people are meeting voluntarily. They understand the risk they’re taking. They love their God and want to share that experience with others.”
Tillis noted that he believed the resolution’s application to houses of worship was a misunderstanding but said he felt compelled to stand up against the mandate in order to draw the line against the government’s “overstep.”
“There’s no animosity. They truly do have our best interest at heart. They’re trying to help the community. It’s just something they missed,” he said, referring to county commissioners. “But it is an overstep. It’s not a gross overstep, but it’s enough where we’re saying this has to be revisited.”
Reached for comment Thursday morning, County Attorney Mitchell Palmer, said his office stands prepared to defend the county’s mask mandate.
“The County Attorney’s Office does not typically comment on threatened or pending litigation. Rest assured, however, that the County Attorney’s Office aggressively defends lawsuits brought against the county, regardless of subject matter.”
At a recent meeting, Manatee officials announced a Mask Up Manatee Coalition dedicated to providing masks and informing residents about the benefits of wearing a mask around other people. The group plans to distribute reusable cloth masks at libraries during business hours.
Sabatini and Tillis will host their protest outside the Manatee County Courthouse at 10 a.m. Monday.
