Papillion will no longer require residents to wear face coverings, as the city's recently passed mask ordinance has expired just over a week after it was approved.

The Papillion City Council approved the measure on Dec. 4, but based on the language of the ordinance, it expired as a result of Nebraska's hospital bed occupancy by COVID-19 patients falling below 20% on a 14-day average. Nebraska officially reached the yellow zone regarding hospital capacity on Saturday.

Now a new ordinance is being considered. It includes the same mandate, but, if passed, would make it so Papillion is brought back under a mask mandate if Nebraska once again ventures into the orange or red zone.

The new ordinance received its first reading on Tuesday night. Councilman Steve Sunde, who was the lone council member to vote against the previous ordinance and called the recently expired mandate "tyranny," also questioned the newly proposed ordinance.

The ordinance must be read three times on three different days before there can be a vote. The council will have its second reading and public hearing at its next meeting.