**North Carolina’s Public Mask-Wearing Restrictions Become Law After Key Revisions**
RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina’s controversial restrictions on public mask-wearing have officially become law. This development follows a successful override of Democratic Governor Roy Cooper’s veto by GOP lawmakers. The Senate finalized the override with a 30-14 vote along party lines on Thursday, following the state House’s initiation of the process on Wednesday during a lengthy session.
The new law, which takes effect immediately, has undergone significant revisions since its initial introduction. The original proposal aimed to remove a 2020 bipartisan regulation that allowed mask-wearing for health reasons, a measure put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. This initial removal prompted significant pushback from the public and some Democratic legislators, leading to the restoration of a medical exemption in the final version of the law.
Under the new law, individuals are permitted to wear medical or surgical-grade masks in public to prevent the spread of illness. However, law enforcement and property owners have the authority to request the temporary removal of these masks to verify a person’s identity.
The law also introduces harsher penalties for crimes committed while wearing a mask and increases penalties for protesters who intentionally block traffic. This latter provision is set to go into effect on December 1.
An unrelated but significant provision on campaign finance was added to the bill during negotiations. This provision allows federally registered committees to donate money to state political parties using funds that include unlimited contributions from individuals. This aspect of the law has raised concerns among Democratic lawmakers and civil liberties groups, who argue it could lead to a lack of transparency in elections.
Throughout the legislative process, GOP lawmakers cited widespread protests on college campuses against the war in Gaza as a partial motivation for the bill. Wilson County Republican Senator Buck Newton, a supporter of the bill, remarked last month, “It’s about time that the craziness is … at least slowed down, if not put to a stop.”
The protests in question included an encampment at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where more than 30 people were detained. Many of these demonstrators wore masks. Earlier this year, pro-Palestinian protesters also blocked roads in Raleigh and Durham.
Initially, opposition to the measure focused on the removal of the health exemption. Democratic lawmakers and other opponents argued that this could harm immunocompromised individuals. Mecklenburg County Democrat Senator Natasha Marcus expressed her concerns in May, stating, “You’re making careful people into criminals with this bill.”
These concerns were largely ignored until Wake County Republican Representative Erin Pare announced on social media platform X that she would not vote for the bill unless a health exemption was included. This announcement halted the legislation’s progress, prompting GOP legislators to add the health exemption.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other groups have criticized the bill, arguing that it stifles protesters’ free speech. Now, most Democratic lawmakers are particularly concerned about the election finance provision, which they believe could lead to a lack of transparency in elections. Governor Cooper cited this provision as his primary reason for vetoing the legislation.
The history of masking statutes in North Carolina dates back to 1953 and was primarily aimed at curbing Ku Klux Klan activity in the state. David Cunningham, a sociology professor at Washington University in St. Louis who has written a book on the subject, noted that the section of state laws that includes masking restrictions is titled “Prohibited Secret Societies and Activities.”
In addition to the health exemption, the new law also exempts masks worn with holiday costumes, in theatrical productions, or on jobs where they are used to keep workers safe.
North Carolina is not alone in considering such measures. New York is also contemplating a ban on mask-wearing, which Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul has said would be a way to combat antisemitic acts by masked individuals. This measure would include exemptions for health and religious reasons. Similar to North Carolina, civil liberties groups in New York have expressed concerns about how the ban could affect free speech.
In Ohio, Attorney General Dave Yost recently cited the state’s existing mask restrictions when warning student protesters that they could face felony charges for wearing masks.
As North Carolina’s new law takes effect, it remains to be seen how it will impact public health, civil liberties, and the political landscape in the state.
Source: Associated Press, SRN News
