California Gov. Newsom signs bill aimed at banning law enforcement from using face coverings
ELSE WAS ON BOARD. GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM MUST NOW DECIDE IF HE’LL SIGN THE BILL TO BAN LAW ENFORCEMENT FROM WEARING FACE COVERINGS. IN MOST CASES. KCRA THREE POLITICAL DIRECTOR ASHLEY ZAVALA JOINS US NOW WITH WHY POLICE GROUPS AND DEMOCRATS ARE FEUDING OVER THIS BILL. ASHLEY. LISA, STATE LAWMAKERS SENT THIS BILL TO THE GOVERNOR THIS WEEK DESPITE PLEAS FROM POLICE GROUPS ACROSS THE STATE WARNING THAT THIS IS PUNISHING CITY AND COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR THE ACTIONS OF FEDERAL OFFICERS. THIS PROPOSAL, PROHIBITING FACE COVERINGS FOR OFFICERS. IT DOES MAKE EXCEPTIONS FOR HEALTH PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND SWAT OPERATIONS. FOR EXAMPLE. WE SHOULD NOTE THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL IS EXEMPTED FROM THIS PROPOSAL. OFFICERS WHO VIOLATE IT COULD FACE CHARGES OR BE STRIPPED OF THEIR QUALIFIED IMMUNITY, MEANING THOSE LEGAL PROTECTIONS THEY HAVE THAT SHIELD THEM FROM LITIGATION WHEN THEY CARRY OUT LAW ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS. STATE SENATOR SCOTT WIENER FILED THIS PROPOSAL IN RESPONSE TO FEDERAL IMMIGRATION RAIDS, IN WHICH OFFICERS ARE MASKED AND THEY’RE NOT IDENTIFYING THEMSELVES. BUT EVERY MAJOR LAW ENFORCEMENT GROUP IN THE STATE IS AGAINST THIS BILL, SAYING THERE IS NO EVIDENCE LOCAL OFFICERS ARE USING MASKS THIS WAY. THEY ALSO SAY STATE LAWMAKERS HAVE NO SAY OVER WHAT FEDERAL OFFICERS DO. HERE’S WHAT BOTH SIDES ARE SAYING. I WANT TO BE CLEAR, LIKE WE WE INCLUDED LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH WE DON’T THINK THIS IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, WE DON’T WANT TO SEE THIS HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE. YOU KNOW, WE’RE ONLY 7 TO 8 MONTHS IN TO THIS ADMINISTRATION. AND WE’RE STARTING TO SEE THE JUST THE TEARS AT SOCIETAL NORMS. AND THE RIPPLE EFFECT THAT THAT HAS ON OUR CULTURE. AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON’T HAVE ANY LOCAL POLICE OFFICERS START DOING THIS IN 6 OR 12 MONTHS OR TWO YEARS. SO NOW IS THE TIME TO SET CLEAR RULES AND CLEAR STANDARDS. I TAKE OUT STATE POLICE, THOUGH, FROM THIS IF WE’RE SUPPOSED TO PREVENT IT. SO STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE A MICROSCOPIC PERCENTAGE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. THE VAST MAJORITY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT IS LOCAL AND FEDERAL, AND AND I HONESTLY DO NOT SEE STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT BEING A PROBLEM. STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVES UNDER THE ELECTED GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AND I DO NOT SEE ANY ELECTED CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR ALLOWING STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT TO DO THIS NOW OR AT ANY POINT IN THE FUTURE. YOU KNOW, I HOPE THE GOVERNOR WILL HEAR THE CONCERN OF THE CHIEFS. AND, YOU KNOW, OUR MESSAGE TO HIM IS, AS WE’VE STATED BEFORE, WE SHARE THE SAME CONCERNS WITH OUR COMMUNITIES. AND WHATEVER HAPPENS YEARS FROM NOW, IT’S LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT. IT’S GOING TO BE LEFT DEALING WITH THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND WORKING TO BUILD TRUST WITH OUR COMMUNITIES. SO SO WE HAVE A PROBABLY THE MOST VESTED INTEREST IN THIS ISSUE OF ANYONE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR OFFICERS ARE SAFE, OUR COMMUNITIES ARE SAFE, AND THOSE RELATIONSHIPS ARE, WELL, THERE ARE NO EXAMPLES OF LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT DOING THIS. WE SHARE SOME OF THE SAME CONCERNS. I HOPE THAT THEY’LL LOOK AT IT. YOU HAVE TO QUESTION WHY THE STATE OFFICERS WERE REMOVED FROM THE BILL. IF THE INTENT OF THE LEGISLATURE IS AS THEY SAY IT IS, AND I JUST DON’T BELIEVE THEY’VE SHOWN THAT THAT’S THE TRUTH. AND SO I HOPE THAT YOU’LL LOOK AT IT OBJECTIVELY. OUR CONCERNS REALLY ARE AROUND THE IMMUNITY AND HOW THAT AFFECTS LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT. NOW, OUTSIDE OF THEIR CONCERNS, THERE ARE SOME TECHNICAL ISSUES THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS FLAGGED WITH THE BILL THAT WIENER HAS ACKNOWLEDGED AND SAID HE’S COMMITTED TO FIXING. FOR EXAMPLE, UNDER THE BILL, AN OFFICER WOULD BE ALLOWED TO WEAR A HELMET WHILE HE’S RIDING A MOTORCYCLE. BUT THE WAY THAT IT’S WRITTEN RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT IF THEY WOULD LEGALLY BE ALLOWED TO WEAR THAT HELMET WHEN THEY GET OFF THE BIKE TO RESPOND TO A TRAFFIC INCIDENT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. SENATOR WIENER SAYS AGAIN HE’S COMMITTED TO MEETING WITH POLICE GROUPS TO WORK OUT SOME OF THESE DETAILS IN LEGISLATION THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE FILED NEXT YEAR. AND SO, ASHLEY, WHAT IS THE GOVERNOR SAYING ABOUT ALL THIS? THE GOVERNOR AT THIS POINT, IT DOESN’T SEEM LIKE HE’S READY TO COMMENT ON IT. HE IS NOT COMMENTING ON IT. WHEN HE SPOKE WITH A GROUP OF US REPORTERS EARLIER THIS WEEK AT THE CAPITOL. HE WAS ASKED ABOUT IT. HE NOTED AT THE TIME THAT HE HAD SEVERAL BILLS HE NEEDED TO REVIEW, THIS BEING ONE OF THEM. ALL RIGHT. AND THERE ARE MANY. THANK YOU. ASHLEY. GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM HAS UNTIL
Updated: 3:31 PM PDT Sep 20, 2025
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California Gov. Newsom signs bill aimed at banning law enforcement from using face coverings
Updated: 3:31 PM PDT Sep 20, 2025
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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.(Earlier coverage in the video above.)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.The new legislation would also require a warrant or court order before allowing agents access to emergency rooms and other nonpublic areas of a hospital. It would clarify that immigration information collected by a health care provider is medical information. “Public safety depends on trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve — but Trump and Miller have shattered that trust and spread fear across America,” Newsom said in a statement. “California is putting an end to it and making sure schools and hospitals remain what they should be: places of care, not chaos.”See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel--The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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.
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(Earlier coverage in the video above.)
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.
The new legislation would also require a warrant or court order before allowing agents access to emergency rooms and other nonpublic areas of a hospital. It would clarify that immigration information collected by a health care provider is medical information.
“Public safety depends on trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve — but Trump and Miller have shattered that trust and spread fear across America,” Newsom said in a statement. “California is putting an end to it and making sure schools and hospitals remain what they should be: places of care, not chaos.”
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
--The Associated Press contributed to this story.
