New York is poised to introduce a new misdemeanor charge for wearing a mask while committing or fleeing from a crime, as part of a broader state budget bill. This proposal follows Governor Kathy Hochul's previous suggestion to ban masks in the NYC subway system due to concerns over antisemitic acts, which faced criticism for potentially infringing on protestor anonymity. The legislation aims to address concerns about identity concealment in crimes without imposing broad mask bans, allowing exceptions for health, cultural, or religious reasons. State Sen. James Skoufis introduced a related bill to criminalize mask use for harassment, which did not progress far. The current proposal seeks to balance the issue without expanding federal enforcement powers, amid concerns about protestor targeting by the Trump administration.

New York plans to implement a new misdemeanor charge for individuals wearing masks while committing or fleeing from a Class A misdemeanor or higher crime, as announced by Governor Kathy Hochul.

The initiative is part of a larger state budget bill and was driven by previous concerns over mask use in the NYC subway system to conceal identities during antisemitic acts.

Criticism arose over potential restrictions on protestors who might wear masks to protect their identities from professional or personal repercussions, highlighting the challenge of drafting such legislation.

State Senator James Skoufis introduced a related bill focusing on mask use for harassment, but it faced challenges due to concerns over subjective law enforcement and did not advance significantly.

The current legislative effort aims to prevent crime concealment through mask use while providing exceptions for health, cultural, or religious reasons, avoiding a complete mask ban.

Governor Hochul emphasized that the proposal does not grant new powers to federal agencies like ICE, addressing fears of protestor targeting by federal authorities under the Trump administration.

The New York Civil Liberties Union criticized the initial mask ban proposal as unpopular and potentially harmful to protestors, stressing the need to safeguard civil liberties amid federal pressures.