public transportation

State Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office described the mask requirement as “overreach” by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Interviews for the poll were conducted last Thursday to Monday, shortly before a federal judge in Florida struck down the national mask mandate on airplanes and mass transit.

DOJ spokesperson Anthony Coley says a notice of appeal had been filed in light of the determination by the CDC that wearing a mask "remains necessary to protect the public health."

The CDC continues to assess public health conditions, and if the agency determines a mandate is necessary, the Justice Department will file an appeal.

TSA says it will no longer enforce the mandate after a Tampa-based judge's ruling. It didn't take long for major airlines to switch to a mask-optional policy, with some passengers cheering when the change was announced midfight.

The mandate, which was to expire Monday, will continue through May 3 to monitor for any observable increase in severe virus outcomes as cases rise in parts of the country.

There is a seven-county stretch in North Central Florida -- an area larger than Puerto Rico -- where every county health department has gotten out of…