HB250 • 2026

LAW ENFORCEMENT; CONCEALING ONE'S FACE

An Act establishing the crime of wearing a mask in public while acting as a peace officer; and providing for an effective date.

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Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: REPRESENTATIVES HANNAN, Fields, Mina
Last action: 2026-03-16
Official status: (H) JUD
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official status indicates the bill passed both chambers but does not confirm if a governor has signed it or vetoed it; therefore, while the text says 'takes effect immediately,' actual enforcement depends on final executive action.

Alaska Law: Peace Officers Wearing Masks in Public

This bill makes it a crime for peace officers to knowingly hide their faces with masks or disguises while interacting with the public, unless specific safety or job-related exceptions apply.

What This Bill Does

Creates a new crime called wearing a mask in public while acting as a peace officer.
Requires that the officer knowingly hides their face with a mask or disguise during official interactions with the public.
Allows officers to wear masks if they are on an undercover assignment authorized by a supervisor or court order.
Permits shields designed to protect from harm, provided they do not obscure the officer's face.
Allows medical or surgical masks and other devices needed for protection against disease, toxins, gas, smoke, inclement weather, or hazardous conditions.
Permits wearing a mask outdoors when temperatures are 32 degrees Fahrenheit or lower.
Allows helmets if required by law for safe operation of motorcycles or vehicles during official duties.
Exempts officers participating in tactical operations where protective gear is needed for immediate safety and not intended to hide identity.
Exempts members of special weapons and tactics teams actively performing their team responsibilities.
Sets the penalty for breaking this rule at a class B misdemeanor.

Who It Names or Affects

Peace officers working in Alaska
Law enforcement supervisors who authorize undercover assignments

Terms To Know

Class B misdemeanor: A type of crime that is less serious than a felony but more serious than an infraction.
Tactical operation: Law enforcement activities involving high risk, specialized methods, or hazardous conditions where face coverings are needed for safety and not to hide identity.

Limits and Unknowns

The law applies only to offenses committed on or after the effective date of this Act.
While the bill states it takes effect immediately under state statute, the specific calendar date is determined by final enrollment and signing procedures not detailed in the text.

Bill History

2026-03-16 Text
(H) Heard & Held -- Delayed to 15 Minutes Following Session --
2026-03-16 Text
(H) JUDICIARY at 01:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
2026-03-09 1803
(H) REFERRED TO JUDICIARY
2026-03-09 1803
(H) FN3: ZERO(DPS)
2026-03-09 1803
(H) FN2: ZERO(LAW)
2026-03-09 1803
(H) FN1: ZERO(ADM)
2026-03-09 1803
(H) AM: HOLLAND, STORY, CARRICK
2026-03-09 1803
(H) NR: HIMSCHOOT
2026-03-09 1803
(H) DNP: VANCE, ST. CLAIR
2026-03-09 1803
(H) STA RPT CS(STA) 2DNP 1NR 3AM
2026-03-05 Min
(H) Minutes (HSTA)
2026-03-05 Text
(H) Moved CSHB 250(STA) Out of Committee
2026-03-05 Text
(H) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:15 PM GRUENBERG 120
2026-03-03 Min
(H) Minutes (HSTA)
2026-03-03 Text
(H) Heard & Held
2026-03-03 Text
(H) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:15 PM GRUENBERG 120
2026-02-24 Min
(H) Minutes (HSTA)
2026-02-24 Text
(H) <Bill Hearing Canceled>
2026-02-24 Text
(H) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:15 PM GRUENBERG 120
2026-02-17 Min
(H) Minutes (HSTA)
2026-02-17 Text
(H) Heard & Held
2026-02-17 Text
(H) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:15 PM GRUENBERG 120
2026-02-11 1604
(H) COSPONSOR(S): MINA
2026-02-10 Min
(H) Minutes (HSTA)
2026-02-10 Text
(H) Heard & Held
2026-02-10 Text
(H) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:15 PM GRUENBERG 120
2026-01-20 1450
(H) STA, JUD
2026-01-20 1450
(H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
2026-01-20 1450
(H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/9/26

Official Summary Text

LAW ENFORCEMENT; CONCEALING ONE'S FACE
An Act establishing the crime of wearing a mask in public while acting as a peace officer; and providing for an effective date.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB0250b -1- CSHB 250(STA)
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

34-LS1284\G

CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 250(STA)

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - SECOND SESSION

BY THE HOUSE STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

Offered: 3/9/26
Referred: Judiciary

Sponsor(s): REPRESENTATIVES HANNAN, Fields, Mina
A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act establishing the crime of wearing a mask in public while acting as a peace 1
officer; and providing for an effective date." 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 3
* Section 1. AS 11.56 is amended by adding a new section to article 6 to read: 4
Sec. 11.56.880. Wearing a mask in public while acting as a peace officer. 5
(a) A peace officer commits the crime of wearing a mask in public while acting as a 6
peace officer if, while interacting with the public in the peace officer's official 7
capacity, the peace officer knowingly conceals the peace officer's face with a mask or 8
disguise. 9
(b) This section does not apply to a peace officer who 10
(1) is on an undercover assignment that is authorized by the officer's 11
supervisor or by a court order; 12
(2) is wearing 13
(A) a shield that does not obscure the peace officer's face that is 14
34-LS1284\G
CSHB 250(STA) -2- HB0250b
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

designed to protect the peace officer's face from harm; 1
(B) a medical mask or surgical mask designed to protect 2
against transmission of disease or infection or any other mask or device, 3
including an air-purifying respirator, a full or half mask, or a self-contained 4
breathing apparatus, necessary to protect against exposure to a toxin, gas, 5
smoke, inclement weather, or another hazardous or harmful environmental 6
condition; 7
(C) a mask for protection against exposure to smoke; 8
(D) a mask while outdoors when the temperature is at or below 9
32 degrees Fahrenheit; 10
(E) a helmet if the officer is using a motorcycle or other vehicle 11
that requires a helmet for safe operation while in the performance of the 12
officer's duties; 13
(3) is participating in a tactical operation for which protective gear is 14
required for immediate physical safety; in this paragraph, "tactical operation" means a 15
planned or emergent law enforcement activity 16
(A) involving the elevated risk of death or serious physical 17
injury, specialized operational methods, or hazardous environmental 18
conditions; and 19
(B) for which a peace officer's use of protective equipment that 20
partially or fully covers the face is reasonably necessary for officer safety or 21
mission execution and is not intended to conceal the officer's identity; 22
(4) is assigned to a special weapons and tactics team and is actively 23
performing responsibilities of that team. 24
(c) Wearing a mask in public while acting as a peace officer is a class B 25
misdemeanor. 26
* Sec. 2. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 27
read: 28
APPLICABILITY. AS 11.56.880, enacted by sec. 1 of this Act, applies to offenses 29
committed on or after the effective date of this Act. 30
* Sec. 3. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c). 31