New York State is Banning Masks

No matter how much time passes in the Empire State, just about every time you turn around, state officials want to ban something. There continues to be a really long list of things that New York should ban but refuses to, while it looks to ban things that no one asked for.

That exact thing is happening this week as the Governor of New York has proposed banning something it once mandated people to use.

Just a few years ago, you could be arrested for not wearing this, and now, if the Governor and other state officials have their way, you may be arrested if you do wear it.

New York State is Banning Masks

In a move that surprised many people all over the state, Governor Kathy Hochul proposes banning the use of facemasks in the Empire State. To say this was a surprise is an understatement, as the Governor is looking to include the new law in the state budget, which is due to be completed in less than a week.

According to The Gothamist, Hochul wants the New York State Legislature to pass new laws preventing people from wearing masks.

READ MORE: 5 Things New York Should Ban But Never Will

If the state had its way, masks would be banned in areas like subways and other publicly accessible places. According to the New York Post, the pending ban would be to prevent people from hiding their identity while committing a crime, while the New York Civil Liberties Union is advocating that New York stops trying to infringe on the rights of people because past practice would show that the ban would be selectively enforced and used as a legal weapon against minorities.

It's an interesting sign of the times. Just a few years ago, you were forced to wear a mask, while now you could be forced not to wear one.