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H 7211Police & Prisons

State Affairs and Government - The Rhode Island Community Protection Act

Bans police from wearing masks during public interactions, with safety exceptions, and requires visible identification.

Held for study
Population
Affected
35
Email Legislator
Introduced Jan 21, 2026Committee House Judiciary

Plain-English Summary

The "Rhode Island Community Protection Act" prohibits law enforcement officers from wearing masks or disguises that conceal their identity while interacting with the public. It establishes exceptions for specific safety needs, such as medical protection against diseases, fire smoke, chemical agents, cold weather, and water rescues. Exceptions are also made for SWAT teams, high-risk situations like standoffs, and undercover work. The bill mandates that officers display their name or badge number and agency. Violations can result in criminal penalties and the loss of civil liability immunity for officers who commit certain torts while masked.

For younger readers

This new rule says that police officers cannot cover their faces with masks when they are talking to people in the community. Being able to see an officer's face helps people trust them and understand how they are feeling. There are some exceptions, like if the officer needs a mask for safety during a fire, to stop germs, or if they are doing secret work. Officers also have to wear a badge or name tag so people know who they are. If officers break this rule, they can get in trouble or have to pay money.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Law enforcement officersGeneral publicPolice unionsMunicipalitiesCivil rights attorneys
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost
None
Estimated revenue
Amount unknown

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Increases police accountability and transparency by mandating that officers remain identifiable to the public, preventing anonymity from being used to shield misconduct.
  • Removes qualified immunity protections for officers who commit civil rights violations or torts while knowingly violating the mask prohibition, ensuring victims have a path to compensation.
  • Aims to de-escalate interactions and reduce community fear by eliminating the intimidation factor often associated with officers obscuring their faces during protests or routine stops.
  • The exception for "high-risk situations" could be interpreted broadly by police departments to justify masking during peaceful protests that are characterized as potential riots.
  • Maintains the ability for undercover officers to operate without identification, which some advocates argue continues to lack sufficient transparency and oversight.
  • Relying on the criminal justice system to prosecute officers for mask violations may prove ineffective, as prosecutors often have close working relationships with law enforcement agencies.
For Conservatives
  • Prevents criminals from impersonating law enforcement officers by establishing strict standards for identification and facial visibility, thereby enhancing public safety.
  • Promotes clear communication and de-escalation, which can help maintain law and order and protect officers from unnecessary conflict arising from misunderstandings.
  • Upholds the rule of law by defining clear statutory boundaries for the conduct of state agents, preventing the use of "secret police" tactics.
  • Strips officers of immunity protections in civil lawsuits, potentially subjecting them to financial ruin for procedural errors or judgment calls made in volatile situations.
  • Imposes criminal penalties on police officers for dress code violations, which could be viewed as government overreach and a deterrent to recruitment.
  • Restricts the personal freedom of officers to protect their health or identity as they see fit, potentially exposing them to illness or retaliation.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 52 additions

SECTION 1. Findings The General Assembly finds and declares:

(a) That the routine use of facial coverings by law enforcement officers has significant implications for public perception, officer-community interactions, and accountability.

(b) Whether intended or not, members of the public may experience fear or intimidation when approached by officers whose faces are obscured. This perception can heighten defensive behaviors and unnecessarily escalate situations.

(c) Facial coverings limit the visibility of facial expressions, which are essential components of nonverbal communication. In high-stress or emotionally charged interactions, the inability to read an officer’s expression may lead to misinterpretation of tone or intent, increasing the risk of conflict escalation.

(d) The visibility of an officer’s face is vital for promoting transparency, facilitating communication, and building trust between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve.

(e) When officers are not readily identifiable, it increases the risk of impersonation by unauthorized individuals, which further undermines public trust, endangers public safety, and hinders legitimate law enforcement operations.

(f) The use of facial coverings by law enforcement should not obscure officer identity or hinder accountability, nor should those coverings be used in a manner that enables or conceals discriminatory or unlawful conduct.

SECTION 2. Title 42 of the General Laws entitled "STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter: 42-169-1. Title. This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "The Rhode Island Community Protection Act." 42-169-2. Definitions. For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and terms shall have the following meanings:

(1) “Law enforcement officer” means any of the following:

(i) Any person described under § 42-28.6-1;

(ii) Any person employed by a law enforcement agency of another state; or

(iii) Any person employed by a federal law enforcement agency.

(2) “Mask” means a covering of all or part of the face worn as a disguise or to conceal the identity of the person wearing the covering. 42-169-3. Masks and disguises prohibited.

(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, a law enforcement officer shall not wear any mask or personal disguise while interacting with the public in the performance of their duties, except for medical grade masks that are surgical or N95 respirators designed and as needed to prevent the transmission of airborne diseases, masks designed and as needed to protect against exposure to smoke during a fire involved situation, masks necessary to perform duties during a water rescue operation, masks related to protection against exposure to biological or chemical agents during an incident where such agents may be present, or masks designed and as needed to protect against exposure to cold during a declared weather emergency.

(b) This subsection shall not apply to: (1). Special weapons and tactics (“SWAT”) team officers utilizing gear necessary to protect their faces from physical harm while they perform their SWAT responsibilities;

(2) Law enforcement officers engaged in high-risk situations including, but not limited to, a shootout, standoff, hostage-taking situation, or terrorist situation, where a mask provides physical protection to the face; or

(3) Law enforcement officers engaged in an undercover assignment in the regular performance of their official duties. 42-169-4. Identification required.

(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, law enforcement officers shall wear appropriate identification while interacting with the public in the performance of their duties, which shall include:

(1) The law enforcement officer’s name or badge number; and

(2) The full name or initials of the law enforcement officer's employing law enforcement agency.

(b) This subsection shall not apply when a law enforcement officer is engaged in an undercover assignment in the regular performance of their official duties. 42-169-5. Criminal liability. Any person violating the provisions of § 42-169-3 or § 42-169-4 shall be imprisoned not exceeding one year or fined not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both. 42-169-6. Civil liability. Notwithstanding any other law, any person who is found to have committed an assault, battery, false imprisonment, false arrest, abuse of process, or malicious prosecution, while wearing a mask or disguise in a knowing and willful violation of this chapter shall not be entitled to assert any privilege or immunity for their tortious conduct against a claim of civil liability, and shall be liable to that individual for the greater of actual damages or statutory damages of not less than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), whichever is greater. 42-169-7. Severability. The provisions of this chapter are severable. If any provision of this chapter or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications that shall be given effect without the invalid provision or application.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.