Assembly Bill A8908

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Prohibits law enforcement officers from wearing any mask or personal disguise while interacting with the public in the performance of their duties

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Assembly Committee

  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

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2025-A8908 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Assembly Codes
Law Section:
Executive Law
Laws Affected:
Add §838-c, Exec L

2025-A8908 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Prohibits local, state and federal law enforcement officers from wearing any mask or personal disguise while interacting with the public in the performance of their duties; excludes certain protective masks.

2025-A8908 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8908
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               July 16, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of A. SIMONE, LASHER, VALDEZ, SHRESTHA, LEVENBERG --
   read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
 
 AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation  to    prohibiting    law
   enforcement  officers from wearing any mask or personal disguise while
   interacting with the public in the performance of their duties

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 838-c
 to read as follows:
   § 838-C. MASKS AND DISGUISES PROHIBITED.  1. A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
 SHALL NOT WEAR ANY MASK OR PERSONAL DISGUISE WHILE INTERACTING WITH  THE
 PUBLIC  IN  THE  PERFORMANCE  OF  THEIR DUTIES, EXCEPT FOR MEDICAL GRADE
 MASKS THAT ARE SURGICAL OR N95 RESPIRATORS DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE TRAN-
 SMISSION OF AIRBORNE DISEASES, MASKS DESIGNED TO PROTECT  AGAINST  EXPO-
 SURE  TO  SMOKE  DURING  A  FIRE  INVOLVED SITUATION, MASKS NECESSARY TO
 PERFORM DUTIES  DURING  A  WATER  RESCUE  OPERATION,  MASKS  RELATED  TO
 PROTECTION  AGAINST  EXPOSURE TO BIOLOGICAL OR CHEMICAL AGENTS DURING AN
 INCIDENT WHERE SUCH AGENTS MAY BE PRESENT, OR MASKS DESIGNED TO  PROTECT
 AGAINST EXPOSURE TO COLD DURING A DECLARED WEATHER EMERGENCY.
   2.  NOTWITHSTANDING  SUBDIVISION  ONE OF THIS SECTION, SPECIAL WEAPONS
 AND TACTICS (SWAT) TEAM OFFICERS ARE PERMITTED TO UTILIZE GEAR NECESSARY
 TO PROTECT THEIR FACES FROM PHYSICAL HARM WHILE THEY PERFORM THEIR  SWAT
 RESPONSIBILITIES.
   3.  ALL  LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS SHALL BE CLEARLY IDENTIFIED BY THEIR
 NAME OR BADGE NUMBER ON THEIR UNIFORMS.
   4. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "LAW ENFORCEMENT  OFFICER"  SHALL
 MEAN  ANY  OFFICER OF A LOCAL, STATE, OR FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY,
 OR ANY PERSON ACTING ON  BEHALF  OF  A  LOCAL,  STATE,  OR  FEDERAL  LAW
 ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.
   5. A VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE PUNISHABLE AS A MISDEMEANOR.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13411-02-5
 A. 8908                             2

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