Read, Watch or Listen

California's legislature passed two bills requiring on-duty law enforcement officers, including federal agents, to identify themselves and show their faces while on duty. Exceptions exist for undercover officers and SWAT teams. The bills, prompted by concerns over masked federal immigration agents during raids, aim to increase public trust and prevent impersonation. While the federal government defends the use of face coverings, the California bills, if signed into law by the governor, would apply to local and federal officers, but not state officers. Legal challenges are anticipated due to the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution.

Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.