ANNAPOLIS (WJZ) -- This Friday, a panel of lawmakers in Annapolis will consider a request to rescind the mask mandate in schools.

The bipartisan committee is called the Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive, and Legislative Review (AELR). The board will hold a public hearing where parents who both support or oppose mask mandates in schools can voice their opinions and then the committee will vote on the matter.

Earlier this week, the State Board of Education voted 12-2 to rescind the mask mandate and then leave the decision-making process to local school boards. A vote from the AELR will be the last step before local school boards begin to make decisions about masks in schools.

Currently, Anne Arundel County is the only jurisdiction in the Baltimore region that's currently allowing students and staff to go to school without masks.

This week, Baltimore County announced that if the AELR votes to rescind the mask mandate, masks will become optional in schools and offices the first school day after 14 consecutive days of COVID-19 rates in the moderate or low transmission range.

Howard County officials said if the AELR rescinds the mask mandate, the school system "... no longer will require universal masking in our buildings, and additional details will be shared at that time. Until that time, the HCPSS universal indoor masking requirement remains in place. As changes are made, the HCPSS website will be updated accordingly," a spokesperson wrote in an email.

Carroll County officials have pushed the state to rescind the mask mandate in schools. In an email, a spokeperson said "...the current regulation is still in effect until the AELR rescinds the mask mandate or we become eligible for one of the existing off-ramps.  In either event, we will provide notice to the school community."

In Harford County, officials there say the topic of masks in schools will be discussed during a board of education meeting on Monday.

Here is a portion of a statement from a spokesperson in Harford County.

"While awaiting the decision by the Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review (AELR), we will continue extensive conversations with our health officers. We are aware of the concerns on both sides of the topic of masks. The Harford County Board of Education's next business meeting is this Monday, February 28, 2022 and the topic of masks will certainly be on the agenda."

In a statement, Baltimore City Public Schools said: "While we do not plan to make immediate adjustments to our masking requirement, we are actively reviewing next steps based on recent changes to masking guidance at the city and state levels. As always, our goal is to determine what works best for our community."

Parents who believe masks have contributed to social and developmental problems in their children have been pushing to get rid of mandatory masks.

"I have a kindergartners who I pulled out just about three weeks ago because I can't in good faith keep them in the school with a mask on," says Jennifer Stonesifer, a Frederick County mom.

The state teachers' union has continuously pushed to keep mask mandates in place for a little longer.

"We wish that the state board would have waited until the CDC came out with new guidance. We've said all along, let's follow the science. We believe it should be followed now instead of any political pressure which we saw come from the governor," says Cheryl Bost with the Maryland State Education Association.

If those lawmakers decide to rescind the mask mandate in public schools, the local school board where you live will have the final say on when the masks will vanish.