PRINTER'S NO. 2374
No. 1880 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY RAMOS, HORSEY, DENT, GODSHALL, FICHTER, M. COHEN,
DeLUCA, MELIO, STURLA, C. WILLIAMS, WASHINGTON, YOUNGBLOOD,
ROONEY, KIRKLAND AND TRELLO, OCTOBER 7, 1997
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, OCTOBER 7, 1997
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
2 Consolidated Statutes, providing for the offense of wearing
3 certain masks, hoods and other devices.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
7 Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
8 § 7509. Wearing mask, hood or device which conceals identity of
9 wearer.
10 (a) Offense defined.--A person commits a misdemeanor of the
11 second degree when he wears a mask, hood or device by which any
12 portion of the face is so hidden, concealed or covered as to
13 conceal the identity of the wearer and is upon any public way or
14 public property or upon the private property of another without
15 the written permission of the occupier of the property to do so.
16 (b) Nonapplicability.--This section shall not apply to:
17 (1) a person wearing a traditional holiday costume on
18 the occasion of the holiday;
1 (2) a person lawfully engaged in trade and employment or
2 in a sporting activity where a mask is worn for the purpose
3 of ensuring the physical safety of the wearer or because of
4 the nature of the occupation, trade, profession or sporting
5 activity;
6 (3) a person using a mask in a theatrical production,
7 including, but not limited to, use in Mardi Gras celebrations
8 and masquerade balls; or
9 (4) a person wearing a gas mask prescribed in emergency
10 management drills and exercises or emergencies.
11 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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