A8943 • 2025

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

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Nader Sayegh
Last action: 2026-05-18
Official status: In Assembly Committee
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

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

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

What This Bill Does

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

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-05-18 Assembly
AMEND (T) AND RECOMMIT TO CODES
2026-05-18 Assembly
PRINT NUMBER 8943A
2026-01-07 Assembly
REFERRED TO CODES
2025-07-16 Assembly
REFERRED TO CODES

Official Summary Text

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

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          8943

                               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  penal 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:

     1    Section  1. The penal law is amended by adding a new section 190.90 to
     2  read as follows:
     3  § 190.90 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.
    22    5.  THE  PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION ARE SEVERABLE. IF ANY PROVISION OF
    23  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.
                                                                   LBD13483-01-5
        A. 8943                             2

     1  NOT  AFFECT  OTHER  PROVISIONS  OR APPLICATIONS THAT CAN BE GIVEN EFFECT
     2  WITHOUT THE INVALID PROVISION OR APPLICATION.
     3    PEACE OFFICER IDENTITY CONCEALMENT IS A CLASS A MISDEMEANOR.
     4    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.