A group of legislators on Long Island are working to enact a new law that will ban face masks, and those who violate it could face a hefty fine or potential jail time. Nassau County Legislator Mazi Pilip proposed the bill after a concerned citizen said she was attacked by a masked demonstrator during a recent protest. The outspoken lawmaker said she wants to unmask those responsible for the violence. She sponsored the legislation that would make it a crime to wear a mask that hides your identity in public, and the offense would be punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and possible jail time. Those exempt are people who wear masks for health or religious reasons, but that would require proof. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, criminals took advantage of the masks to commit crimes without being recognized. The proposed ban is also being discussed on the state level. If New York becomes the first state to ban masks, it’s likely other states will follow.
