SALEM — A group that advocates for limited governmental powers has filed a lawsuit challenging Gov. Kate Brown’s authority to require Oregonians to wear face coverings in public.

The Freedom Foundation announced Thursday that it has asked the Oregon Court of Appeals to temporarily invalidate Brown’s orders as the court delves further into the legalities of the orders.

The group argues that Brown and the Oregon Health Authority didn’t follow legal procedures in mandating masks in all public indoor spaces and outdoors when 6 feet of physical distancing can’t be maintained. Brown first ordered masks indoors in seven counties on June 24, to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. She then gradually expanded her order to include the entire state July 1, outdoor spaces starting July 15 and children ages 5 and older starting Friday.

The governor still is exempting children younger than 5 and people with medical conditions “that makes it hard to breathe” or with “a disability that prevents the individual from wearing a mask.”

The Freedom Foundation lists three Oregonians in its legal challenge. They say they have medical conditions, past psychological trauma or strong political beliefs about the mask order and don’t think they should have to explain their position to store employees or others who tell them to cover up.

One of the complainants, Kevin Rubio, from Lane County, said he doesn’t believe he can be forced to wear a mask.

“I do not want to be forced to express approval for the governor nor wear a mask covering my face and hiding who I am when there is no need for me to contain any virus,” Rubio wrote in his signed declaration. “I do not have coronavirus …”

This article was originally published by The Oregonian/OregonLive, one of more than a dozen news organizations throughout the state sharing their coverage of the novel coronavirus outbreak to help inform Oregonians about this evolving heath issue.