08/16/2024

NY County Enacts Face Mask Ban

This is the first of its kind post-pandemic

Nassau County in New York state enacted a face mask ban Wednesday, the first of its kind in the country post-COVID-19 pandemic.

The new ban makes it a crime for anyone to wear a mask or face covering to hide their identity, except for health or religious reasons. Violating the new law is a misdemeanor offense punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

The Mask Transparency Act (MTA) was approved earlier this month by the Republican-controlled Nassau County Legislature on Long Island and was signed into law by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman. All 12 Republicans in the legislature voted in favor of the ban, while the seven Democrats abstained. The legislators cited protests of the Israel-Gaza war as reason for the new measure.

Please select this link to read the complete article from TIME.