Overview

• Massachusetts State Representative James Hawkins filed "An Act Ensuring Law Enforcement Identification and Public Trust" on July 10 to classify unauthorized masking by officers as a misdemeanor carrying fines or up to 30 months in prison.
• The proposal would bar all law enforcement from wearing masks when interacting with the public with exemptions only for medical-grade respirators and emergency protective equipment.
• It follows California’s No Secret Police Act and the federal VISIBLE Act introduced by Senators Padilla and Booker, both of which seek to prohibit masked agents and mandate visible names or badge numbers.
• DHS and ICE officials defend optional masking as vital for officer safety after reporting a fivefold increase in assaults and widespread doxxing of immigration agents.
• Legal analysts warn the Massachusetts measure could face challenges under federal supremacy doctrines if a state law attempts to regulate federal agents’ attire.