California Gov. Newsom signs bill aimed at banning law enforcement from using face coverings

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: KCRA-TV Sacramento, CA

Updated: 11:47 AM PDT Sep 20, 2025


Gov. Gavin Newsom on Saturday signed legislation that aims to make California the first state to ban most law enforcement from covering their faces while carrying out operations.

Senate Bill 627, authored by Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, was in response to federal immigration raids where officers have been seen wearing masks. It would prohibit neck gaiters, ski masks and other facial coverings for local and federal officers, including immigration enforcement agents, while they conduct official business. It makes exceptions for undercover agents, medical masks such as N95 respirators or tactical gear.

Republican lawmakers and law enforcement agencies were opposed to the bill, arguing it would make officers’ and agents’ job more dangerous. Immigration officials have cited the fear of agents and their families being doxed. It’s unclear if California will be able to enforce the measure. Newsom also signed several other bills that his office argued would counter “secret police tactics” by the president and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller.

The package of legislation would require that families be notified when immigration agents come on school campuses and require a judicial warrant or court order before giving student information or classroom access to ICE.

Read more: https://www.kcra.com/article/california-gov-newsom-signs-bill-banning-law-enforcement-from-using-face-coverings/67980150

[SunSeeker]

1. Love it. Thank you Governor Newsom. nt

[Chasstev365]

2. All Blue States Should Follow Suite:

One day these goons will be held responsible!

[chowder66]

8. There are several that are working on something similar.

"Democrats in Congress and lawmakers in several states, including Tennessee, Michigan, Illinois, New York, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania, have also introduced similar proposals calling for mask bans for law enforcement officers."


https://abc7.com/post/california-bans-most-law-enforcement-officers-wearing-masks-during-operations/17856254/

[Ponietz]

3. I love this and Rec!

[flvegan]

4. How specifically will they enforce this?

Yeah, that's what I thought.

Zero consequences, zero change.

I will say that it's good to see Newsom/CA pass this at any rate. It's a shame it was even needed.

[Metaphorical]

5. Actually, this is a step to making it enforcable

ICE agents still have to follow state laws, and they can be arrested by state law enforcement for breaking those laws.

It's pretty evident that Trump's Icestapo uses masks in order to prevent blowback for what are clearly illegal actions. If masks are needed, then a judge will need to sign a warrant for their use (thinking primarily tactical gear, in which an officer still needs to display their namebadge), so it really has little significant impact on local LEO. What it does do is to identify what amount to vigilantes and require them to follow the same requirements - and to restore at least a little bit of due process against Trump's vast overreach.

[flvegan]

6. "ICE agents still have to follow state laws"

True, but they don't seem to follow those laws.

But, tell you what, when state law enforcement starts arresting these guys for using masks on the regular, I will happily come back here and reply in all caps that I was wrong. And I do mean happily.

[bluestarone]

14. I'm hoping they WILL arrest until courts tell them not too.

For awhile anyhow, so we'll see.

[Bluetus]

11. I wonder if this might also open the door to civil suits against ICE agents

The problem now is that these goods are hard to identify positively. If ripping off the masks makes them identifiable, then perhaps they will be personally liable for their assaults and other extra-judicial acts.

This might cause many of them to drop out of ICE, or at least stop creaking the laws.

Plus it is a virtual certainly that many of these ICE thugs are already felons and I bet more than a few have outstanding warrants from previous crimes before they joined ICE. That would be a very good reason to keep their faces covered. And if they know they are likely to have their bare faces shown all over the Internet, they will suddenly decide ICE isn't really their calling after all.

[intrepidity]

7. I wish it were more generic in terms of hiding identity

The issue is broader than just face coverings, and in fact if another pandemic breaks out where facial masking becomes a big thing again, might this backfire somehow?

ETA: nevermind, just noticed it has exceptions for this.

[markodochartaigh]

15. "...if another pandemic breaks out..."

If? I think that "when" is the appropriate conjunction.

[chowder66]

9. They are worried about being doxxed - which as law enforcement they can work on going after the doxxers

but citizens are being kidnapped, abused and in some instances killed and they don't know who is doing it.
There have been instances of criminals impersonating masked enforcement AND most (if any) agencies weren't wearing neck gators before the immigrant purge.... so SUCK IT UP.

[progressoid]

10. The doxxing thing is bullshit IMHO

Why are no other law enforcement agencies worried about this?

[chowder66]

12. Most likely because they are made up of a bunch of temporary citizens looking to get their kicks. J6ers and people with

other jobs/careers.

[red dog 1]

13. K&R

I'm proud to say that he's my governor.

[Magoo48]

16. Thanks again, Governor Newsom.

[Cha]

17. Best of Good Luck Gov Newsom!

TY

[JoseBalow]

18. Arrest information is public record

regardless of how it is subsequently adjudicated.

[Buddyzbuddy]

19. Ironically, RFK can institute a Federal mandate to wear face masks to combat Covid.

[FBaggins]

20. Actually - he cannot

Mask mandates were recommended by federal agencies - but had to be implemented by the states (which is why there were such variable requirements around the country)

(An exception being the federal workforce and/or on federal property)

[Buddyzbuddy]

21. Works for me, thanks.