Nassau County executive to sign controversial mask ban into law

NASSAU COUNTY, N.Y. (PIX11) – A controversial mask bill on Long Island was signed into law on Wednesday.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman put his signature on the first-in-the-nation law banning face masks, with exceptions for religious and health reasons, in public. Supporters of the bill argued that it’s meant to target those who commit hate crimes while wearing face coverings .

“Unless someone has a medical condition or a religious imperative, people should not be allowed to cover their face in a manner that hides their identity when in public,” Blakeman previously said about the ban.

Opponents, on the other hand, said a bill banning face masks is oppressive and that people have the right to protest while concealing their identity.

The ban passed in the county legislature, with 12 lawmakers voting yes and seven abstaining.

Anyone caught wearing a face mask in public could be hit with a $1,000 fine. Legal challenges are expected against the bill.

“Bruce Blakeman’s decision to sign the mask ban law is nothing more than political theater and a blatant waste of taxpayer money,” said Nassau County Legislator and Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton in a statement to PIX11 News.

Nassau County was recently ranked as the safest county in the U.S. , according to U.S. News & World Report.

Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018 . She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here .

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