HEADS UP: New Mask Ban Bill Proposed in NY Legislature

Can you call your state reps and share our letter with more NY Jewish leaders?

Author

Jews for Mask Rights
March 05, 2025

The NY Legislature has updated their mask ban bill to focus on the masker’s intent, which is impossible to prove. The updated bill will have the same results as the original. With enforcement subject to police biases, the new bill’s “exemptions” won’t protect anyone.

Call your elected officials and ask them not to support the bill.

Dear signers:

We hope you’ve been taking care of yourself in recent weeks. We know there’s a lot going on in the world, and unfortunately the situation with mask rights in New York is no different.

First, the good news: our voices have power, and we have a win to show for it! Jews for Mask Rights has collected over 2200 signatures, including 300 leaders. We joined with nearly 100 organizations in NYCLU’s demand to reject a mask ban. Thanks to our efforts, the bill drafters scrapped their original dangerous bill!

Now, the bad news: Democrats have introduced a new mask ban bill: Assembly (A03133) and Senate (S03070). These bills have already been referred to committee and picked up cosponsors in both houses. Despite some cosmetic acknowledgements of the need for masks, these bills will stigmatize and criminalize mask wearing all the same, with largely the same impact on vulnerable communities. 

The need for us to raise our voices in opposition only grows. While we celebrate effectively killing last year’s ban, we gear up to ensure that this dangerous rewrite never makes it onto the books. With bird flu on the horizon, more frequent wildfire smoke, and Trump’s silencing of health communications and anti-mask threats, anyone who wishes must have the right to protect their health, and the health of their loved ones. 

Actions you can take right now to fight for New Yorkers:

  1. Call your State Senator and Assemblymember! Use our call script to push them to oppose A3133/S3070. As the session’s budget season approaches, your electeds need to know that their constituents oppose the bill. Prioritize your Democratic legislators, your legislators if they’re on the Codes committee, and State Senator.

  2. Share the letter with more Jewish New Yorkers! With a new bill in both houses, we need more signers. Can you share our letter with at least 2 people you know? Send it to friends, neighbors, synagogue committees, group chats, list serves, clergy leaders, cousins. We have lots of social media images and suggested language in our Sharing Toolkit.

If you're a journalist, will you write about NYCLU’s press release?

If you believe that everyone must have the right to wear a mask, can you connect us with more Jewish leaders and community members?

We know there are lots of fights out there right now, and we’re grateful to take this one on with you. 

Stay safe!

The Jews for Mask Rights Team