Hochul, NY lawmakers reach agreement on mask-wearing criminals
The latest development in the New York state budget deal involves a new law that imposes an additional charge on individuals who wear masks while committing a crime, as announced by Governor Kathy Hochul on Monday.
After much negotiation, Governor Hochul and state lawmakers have reached a compromise on the issue, which falls short of a complete ban on masks that some advocates had been pushing for. The new law will only apply to suspects charged with a class A misdemeanor or more serious offenses, a less stringent measure than initially proposed by Governor Hochul.
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie confirmed the inclusion of the mask law in the $254 billion state spending plan during a press conference in Albany. The focus of the law is on individuals who wear masks to conceal their identity while engaging in criminal activities.
State Senator James Skoufis, who advocated for stricter mask regulations, explained that the new charge would be classified as a class B misdemeanor and would also cover individuals who use masks to hide their faces while fleeing a crime scene. While he acknowledged that the new law is a step in the right direction, he expressed disappointment that it was not as comprehensive as he had hoped.
The wearing of masks in public spaces was previously prohibited in the state but was lifted at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The issue of mask-wearing during criminal activities gained prominence following a series of anti-Israel protests in New York City, where masked demonstrators targeted the Jewish community with hateful rhetoric. Governor Hochul’s initial proposal sought to impose harsher penalties on individuals who used masks to threaten groups of people, but this was met with resistance from liberal lawmakers and civil liberty activists. The current law represents a compromise between these different perspectives.
Advocates for stricter mask regulations, such as #UnMaskHateNY, have welcomed the new law as a positive step towards addressing the use of masks as tools of intimidation and terror. They remain committed to ensuring that legislation continues to evolve to effectively address this ongoing crisis.
In conclusion, the new mask law in the New York state budget deal reflects a balance between public safety concerns and civil liberties, as the state seeks to address the misuse of masks in criminal activities.
