Nassau County's controversial mask ban signed into law. Here's what it does.
MINEOLA, N.Y. -- Nassau County's controversial mask ban bill has been signed into law.
County Executive Bruce Blakeman signed the legislation Wednesday, making it a crime for anyone to wear a mask or face covering to hide their identity, except for health or religious reasons. Violating the law can result in a misdemeanor punishable by a year in jail or a $1,000 fine.
Supporters of the ban say it will help cut down on crimes committed during protests. The law comes after a number of antisemitic incidents that authorities said were committed by people wearing masks.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams have previously expressed support for similar bills that looked to ban masks at protests and on the subway. Hocul joined Democrats in the state Assembly Wednesday calling for a different approach to the mask issue. Instead of a ban, Hochul said she's considering an added penalty to suspects charged in a crime committed while they were wearing a mask.
Blakeman calls the legislation he signed Wednesday common sense. His opponents call it unconstitutional.
"Take your mask off. Don't be a coward," Blakeman said. "This is a bill that's going to protect the public."
"Any time we see any group trying to intimidate another group wearing masks, there's an ulterior motive behind those masks," hate crime victim Joey Borgen said.
"Some people need to hide their identity if they're guilty of something," Susan Lopresti said.
New law has plenty of opposition
Several organizations and advocates have spoke out against the legislation, including Nassau Residents for Good Government.
"Spending police time asking people why they're wearing a mask, that doesn't solve the problem of antisemitism. And certainly having a mask ordinance that's unconstitutional does nothing to combat antisemitism, because it'll be struck down in court," Paula Frome of the NRGG said. "People wearing a mask for their own purposes, whatever they might be, are swept in."
There are many opponents to the law, including the NYCLU, who accused Blakeman of choosing "to chase a culture war over protecting the rights and well-being of his own residents."
"The ban's so-called health and religious exceptions will result in police officers — who are not medical or religious experts, but who do have a track record of racially-biased enforcement — to determine who needs a mask and who doesn't, and who goes to jail," Nassau County Regional Director of the NYCLU Susan Gottehrer said. "Nassau County's officials should be safeguarding rights and liberties, not scoring political points at the expense of New Yorkers."
"Bruce Blakeman's decision to sign the mask ban law is nothing more than political theater and a blatant waste of taxpayer money. This law is destined to be struck down in court, further tarnishing Blakeman's already losing record of lawsuits," Democratic Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton said. "It's deeply disappointing that Blakeman and his Republican colleagues chose to ignore any opportunity for bipartisan compromise or even consider the Democratic bill—a bill that upholds the rule of law, offers a fairer approach for residents, and imposes firmer penalties on actual offenders."
"People are going to commit crimes no matter waht, whether they are wearing a mask or not," Vincent Marchese said.
"I'm an ICU nurse, so I have no judgment. If you want to wear a mask, wear it," Andrea Marchese said.
Nassau County police officers are already undergoing training for enforcing the legislation.
"What they can do is further question you," Blakeman said. "They can detain you if you give evasive answers like you don't know where you're going to, or you don't know what your medical condition is."
"It leaves so much discretion to the police officer whether the mask wearing is legit or not legit," Frome said.