Assembly Bill A8944

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Prohibits state and federal law enforcement acting within New York from covering their faces or otherwise concealing their identity, except in certain circumstances

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

Do you support this bill?

Please enter your contact information

Home address is used to determine the senate district in which you reside. Your support or opposition to this bill is then shared immediately with the senator who represents you.

Optional services from the NY State Senate:

Create an account. An account allows you to officially support or oppose key legislation, sign petitions with a single click, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Include a custom message for your Senator? (Optional)

Enter a message to your senator. Many New Yorkers use this to share the reasoning behind their support or opposition to the bill. Others might share a personal anecdote about how the bill would affect them or people they care about.
Actions

2025-A8944 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Assembly Codes
Law Section:
Criminal Procedure Law
Laws Affected:
Add §2.25, CP L

2025-A8944 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Prohibits state and federal law enforcement acting within New York from covering their faces or otherwise concealing their identity, except in limited circumstances; grants the attorney general authority to enforce civil penalties.

2025-A8944 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8944
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               July 16, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. SAYEGH -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Codes
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the criminal procedure law, in relation to prohibiting
   state and federal law enforcement acting within New York from covering
   their faces or otherwise concealing their identity, except in  certain
   circumstances

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The criminal procedure law  is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 section 2.25 to read as follows:
 § 2.25  PEACE OFFICER IDENTITY CONCEALMENT; PROHIBITED.
   1.  A  LAW  ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, WHICH SHALL INCLUDE ANY PERSON DESIG-
 NATED AS A PEACE OFFICER UNDER ARTICLE TWO  OF  THE  CRIMINAL  PROCEDURE
 LAW, SHALL NOT WEAR ANY MASK OR PERSONAL DISGUISE WHILE INTERACTING WITH
 THE  PUBLIC IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES, EXCEPT FOR MEDICAL GRADE
 MASKS WHICH ARE SURGICAL OR N95  RESPIRATORS  DESIGNED  TO  PREVENT  THE
 TRANSMISSION  OF AIRBORNE DISEASES AND MASKS DESIGNED TO PROTECT AGAINST
 EXPOSURE TO SMOKE WHEN RESPONDING TO FIRES OR DURING A STATE OF EMERGEN-
 CY RELATED TO WILDFIRES.
   2. THE PROVISIONS OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION SHALL  NOT  APPLY
 TO  SPECIAL  WEAPONS  AND  TACTICS  (SWAT)  TEAM OFFICERS UTILIZING SUCH
 EQUIPMENT AS NECESSARY TO PROTECT SUCH  OFFICERS'  FACES  FROM  PHYSICAL
 HARM WHILE PERFORMING SWAT RESPONSIBILITIES.
   3.  ALL  LAW  ENFORCEMENT  OFFICERS SHALL INCLUDE SUCH OFFICER'S NAME,
 BADGE NUMBER, OR BOTH ON SUCH OFFICER'S UNIFORMS.
   4. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "LAW ENFORCEMENT  OFFICER"  MEANS
 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. THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION ARE SEVERABLE. IF ANY  PROVISION  OF
 THIS  SECTION  OR ITS APPLICATION IS HELD INVALID, THAT INVALIDITY SHALL
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13484-01-5

Comments

Open Legislation is a forum for New York State legislation. All comments are subject to review and community moderation is encouraged.

Comments deemed off-topic, commercial, campaign-related, self-promotional; or that contain profanity, hate or toxic speech; or that link to sites outside of the nysenate.gov domain are not permitted, and will not be published. Attempts to intimidate and silence contributors or deliberately deceive the public, including excessive or extraneous posting/posts, or coordinated activity, are prohibited and may result in the temporary or permanent banning of the user. Comment moderation is generally performed Monday through Friday. By contributing or voting you agree to the Terms of Participation and verify you are over 13.

Create an account. An account allows you to sign petitions with a single click, officially support or oppose key legislation, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.