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Despite record COVID-19 cases in the state government, the West Virginia Senate and House of Delegates said they wouldn't require masks in their chambers during next week's legislative session.
Senate President Craig Blair, who said he had COVID during the holidays, said he wouldn't require wearing masks.
"Things could change at any point in time," Blair said. "That's one of the things I tried to do last year was not put a bunch of rules in place."
House Speaker Roger Hanshaw echoed Blair's statements.
"We're starting the process next week under the assumption that we'll be business as usual up until circumstances warrant some kind of a change," he said. "Don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying we would not make a change."
Senate Minority Leader Stephen Baldwin said he's worried that the virus will impact the session.
"Now, does that mean the session should not continue? No, the session should continue," he said. "Life has to continue. But if we want life to continue as normally as possible, then we have to follow public health guidance in order to get back there."
Although masks are optional, Baldwin and House Minority Leader Doug Skaff said most Democrats will wear masks.
Governor Jim Justice is supposed to give his State of the State speech in the House chamber on Wednesday, the first day of the legislative session.
House Communications Director Ann Ali said face masks are not required during the governor's speech. Still, restrictions could change based on the recommendations of local health officials.
After lifting the previous mask mandate last summer, Justice has not reissued an indoor mandate.
Kanawha County, which includes the city of Charleston, reported record cases for two straight days this week. Active cases in the county have reached 2,200, a figure not seen since September's peak.
"This eye-popping number continues to grow and there quite frankly does not seem to be an end in sight," Dr. Sherri Young of the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department said in a statement.
Young said her department encourages mask-wearing in crowded indoor settings.
Masks were required during last year's 60-day regular session, including restrictions on public access to the Capitol and limits on attendance in smaller committee rooms.
Lawmakers discussed a wide variety of priorities for funding and legislation during the session.
Boone County Democrat Ron Stollings, a physician and a member of the Senate Education Committee, said he was concerned with children's mental health and welfare issues. He said the state's social services programs for children under age 3 need to be placed on financial "steroids."
West Virginia Education Association President Dale Lee welcomed the governor's earlier proposal to increase salaries of state workers, including teachers, by 5 percent along with a one-time bonus of 2.5 percent to offset inflation. But Lee said the state also must address the hundreds of position shortages, including among teachers.
"We've been advocating to get our salaries competitive for a number of years," Lee said. "And until we do that, we're not going to fill these shortages."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
