Suburban New York county bans wearing of masks to hide identity

Lawmakers in a suburban New York county have approved a bill to ban masks in public places with exemptions for people who cover their faces for health reasons or for religious or cultural purposes. Supporters said the bill approved Monday by the Republican-controlled Nassau County Legislature on Long Island would prevent violent protesters from hiding their identity. All 12 Republicans in the legislature voted in favor of the measure, while the body’s seven Democrats abstained. The New York Civil Liberties Union criticized the Nassau mask ban as an infringement on free speech rights.