Prohibits state and federal law enforcement operating within New York from covering their faces or otherwise concealing their identity, except in limited circumstances.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8943--A
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
July 16, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SAYEGH -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Codes -- recommitted to the Committee on Codes in accordance with
Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the penal law and the criminal procedure law, in
relation to prohibiting state and federal law enforcement acting with-
in 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:
1 Section 1. The penal law is amended by adding a new section 190.91 to
2 read as follows:
3 § 190.91 Peace officer identity concealment; prohibited.
4 1. A law enforcement officer, which shall include any person desig-
5 nated as a peace officer under article two of the criminal procedure
6 law, shall not wear any mask or personal disguise while interacting with
7 the public in the performance of their duties, except for medical grade
8 masks which are surgical or N95 respirators designed to prevent the
9 transmission of airborne diseases and masks designed to protect against
10 exposure to smoke when responding to fires or during a state of emergen-
11 cy related to wildfires.
12 2. The provisions of subdivision one of this section shall not apply
13 to special weapons and tactics (SWAT) team officers utilizing such
14 equipment as necessary to protect such officers' faces from physical
15 harm while performing SWAT responsibilities.
16 3. All law enforcement officers shall include such officer's name,
17 badge number, or both on such officer's uniforms.
18 4. For the purposes of this section, "law enforcement officer" means
19 any officer of a local, state, or federal law enforcement agency, or any
20 person acting on behalf of a local, state, or federal law enforcement
21 agency.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13483-02-6
A. 8943--A 2
1 5. The provisions of this section are severable. If any provision of
2 this section or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall
3 not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect
4 without the invalid provision or application.
5 Peace officer identity concealment is a class A misdemeanor.
6 § 2. The criminal procedure law is amended by adding a new section
7 2.25 to read as follows:
8 § 2.25 Peace officer identity concealment; prohibited.
9 The attorney general shall have the authority to promulgate and
10 enforce rules and regulations regarding the provisions of section 190.91
11 of the penal law.
12 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
