LOS ANGELES – California Gov. Gavin Newsom today signed into law the No Secret Police Act, or SB 627, a landmark measure that prohibits local and federal law enforcement officers from concealing their faces with extreme masking.
SB 627, authored by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and jointly authored by Senators Pérez (D-Pasadena), Arreguin (D-Berkeley), and Wahab (D-Hayward), was sponsored by MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund), Prosecutors Alliance Action, and IC4IJ (the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice). The bill also garnered support from a broad coalition of state legislators as a co-author.
“Masked abductions under government authority are a hallmark of authoritarian regimes, not of republics,” said Thomas A. Saenz, MALDEF president and general counsel. “This bill, if well-enforced, can help to restore trust in law enforcement throughout California, which has been so severely undermined of late by unprecedented federal tactics.”
The law comes in the wake of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision granting ICE greater power to racially profile in Los Angeles, as well as a series of federal raids in the state during which masked agents arrested and whisked residents – including some U.S. citizens – to federal detention centers without complying with the Constitution.
The newly enacted measure defines law enforcement broadly to include local, federal, and out-of-state officers. It provides narrow exemptions, such as for SWAT teams, undercover assignments, N95 medical masks, motorcycle helmets, and protective gear, but otherwise requires officers to keep their faces visible at all times. A willful violation can result in criminal penalties unless the officer’s agency maintains policies consistent with SB 627’s standards. Civil penalties apply when officers commit abuses while unlawfully masked.
“By signing SB 627, the Governor has shown that California is not powerless in the face of federal overreach that tramples individual rights and threatens public safety,” said Hector Villagra, MALDEF vice president of Policy Advocacy & Community Education. “SB 627 not only sends a powerful message about California’s commitment to democratic values, but also protects residents from the fear and confusion caused by masked, unidentified individuals snatching people off our sidewalks.”
SB 627 takes effect on January 1, 2026. The bill makes California the first state in the nation to enact such a safeguard, setting a precedent for dozens of similar proposals across the U.S.