A New York county has passed a bill that prevents people from wearing masks in public.

Lawmakers in Nassau County voted to enact the Mask Transparency Act, a new law restricting individuals from wearing face coverings in public, except for specific health, safety, or religious reasons. The legislation, passed by county lawmakers on Monday, aims to address concerns about criminal activities carried out by masked individuals.

The law stipulates that anyone wearing a mask in public and using it to abuse, threaten, harass, or intimidate another person could face a misdemeanor charge, potentially resulting in up to a year in prison and a fine of up to $1,000, according to NBC 15 News.

“Unless someone has a medical condition or a religious imperative, people should not be allowed to cover their face in a manner that hides their identity while in public,” explained County Executive Bruce Blakeman in a statement. 

However, the new legislation has sparked controversy, with some critics arguing that the law is a way for the county to crack down on protesters. Susan Gottehrer, Nassau County Regional Director of the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU), argued that, “Concerns that masks disguise criminal activity must not be answered by banning anonymous protest. Police should respond to a person’s actions, not their attire.”

Under the new law, law enforcement officers have the authority to require individuals wearing face coverings in public to remove them if the officer believes the person might commit a crime. Gottehrer expressed concerns over this provision, saying, “The ban’s so-called health and religious exceptions are entirely inadequate: Nassau County police officers are not health professionals or religious experts capable of deciding who needs a mask and who doesn’t.”

This legislation follows similar measures in other areas. Philadelphia adopted a law last year that prohibits individuals from wearing ski masks in public settings such as parks, recreational centers, city-owned buildings, and mass transit to prevent criminals from concealing their identities.

This piece first appeared at TPUSA.