UPDATE (05/23/2021): Health Board cancelled meeting, rescinded illegal orders. Said signing of HB 257 just happened to be “simultaneous”.

After the Missoula County Board of Health was rebuked by the Montana Legislature and Governor Greg Gianforte on Friday, the Board of Health is holding a public meeting at noon today to “rescind” their illegal rules.

The meeting is mostly a formality since the signing of HB257 last Friday invalidated county and city COVID-19 restrictions on businesses. According to the new law,

When writing ordinances and resolutions, health officers and municipal and county leaders may not:

• compel a private business to deny a customer access
• deny a customer of a private business the ability to access goods
• revoke a businesses license for non-compliance

When writing state disaster and emergency plans the state may not:

• compel a private business to deny a customer access
• deny a customer of a private business the ability to access goods

The board meeting will be held virtually (again) at 12:30pm today. Here is a link to the meeting. If you would like to call in you can dial 406-272-4824 and dial meeting code 130-946-685.

Read the new law here.