Overview

• The bill would make it a misdemeanor to conceal one’s identity by wearing a mask during enforcement operations, punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.
• It requires officers to display their name or badge number and agency initials while interacting with the public, with exceptions only for undercover work and health or safety protections.
• Sponsor Rep. Betsy Coffia and Attorney General Dana Nessel argue that unmasking officers is essential to prevent secret police tactics, restore accountability and maintain community trust.
• House Speaker Matt Hall, who labeled the bill “dead on arrival,” and DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin condemn it as an attack on law enforcement and warn it jeopardizes officer safety against a backdrop of surging assaults and doxxing campaigns.
• Legal experts anticipate challenges under the federal supremacy clause and First Amendment free-speech protections even as Sen. Elissa Slotkin advances a similar nationwide proposal.