California bill to bar masked officers heads to final vote

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CN) — A contentious California bill that would prohibit many law enforcement officers from wearing masks passed a key hurdle Tuesday and now heads to a final vote in the state Senate.

Senate Bill 627 — written by state Senator Scott Wiener, a San Francisco Democrat — is a response to federal immigration authorities taking people into custody while masked and without identification. Called the No Secret Police Act, it passed the Assembly in a 44-to-20 vote.

A successful vote in the Senate, where it’s already passed once, will send it to Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk.

The bill would stop many officers from masking while on the job, with exceptions. State law enforcement would be exempt. Republicans argued that federal officers — the reason for the legislation — also would be exempt, as the state has no power over them.

Assemblymember Juan Carrillo, a Palmdale Democrat introducing the bill in his chamber, invoked Monday’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling that gave President Donald Trump the ability to target Latinos, Spanish speakers and certain workers for suspected illegal status.

“Racial profiling has no place in our society,” Carrillo said, adding later: “Anyone would be terrified. Anyone would question what is happening.”

Many Assembly members said federal officers targeted people who look like them. Assemblymember Liz Ortega, a San Leandro Democrat, read from U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonya Sotomayor’s dissent in the Monday decision.

“We should not have to live in a country where the government can seize anyone who looks Latino, speaks Spanish, and appears to work a low-wage job,” Ortega read.

“This has never been about keeping communities safe or dealing with public safety,” the Assembly member said in her own words.

Several Democrats joined in their support during debate on the bill.

Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez, a Los Angeles Democrat, said his district was under siege. People live in fear of immigration agents arriving unannounced.

“My community is not a hunting ground,” Gonzalez said. “My neighbors are not your prey.”

Assemblymember Chris Rogers, a Santa Rosa Democrat, referenced the animated TV show “Rick and Morty” while arguing in support of the bill. He said Republicans have cheered for the return to Jim Crow laws and the military turning on citizens.

“I don’t mind your boos as I’ve seen what makes you cheer,” Rogers quoted. “We’ve seen what makes you cheer.”

Republicans pushed back on the legislation.

Assemblymember Carl DeMaio, a San Diego Republican, said Democrats once hailed the defund-the-police movement. They’ve since shifted to making it impossible for officers to perform their jobs.

“You’ve made their lives miserable,” DeMaio added. “You’ve put their lives at risk.”

Assemblymember Tom Lackey, a Palmdale Republican, pointed to criminal charges an officer could face for violating the law. The first violation would be an infraction, followed by a misdemeanor for the second and subsequent offenses.

Assemblymember Nick Schultz, a Burbank Democrat, disputed that point, arguing that the criminal penalties don’t apply if an officer acted within the capacity of their job and their agency has a written policy by July 1, 2026, on the use of masks.

“If it’s any case of the color of my skin and my accent, who will be next?” Carrillo said.