North Carolina bill seeks to restrict police use of facial coverings, increase transparency

State Rep. Maria Cervania introduced a bill in the North Carolina House designed to restrict law enforcement officers from wearing facial coverings and to strengthen transparency efforts, the North Carolina State House reports.

Filed as HB 1132 on April 29 during the 2025 regular session, the bill appears under the short title: ‘LEO Facial Coverings and Identifications.’

Below is our analysis based on the official bill text, with clarifications of its main elements.

This legislation would prohibit officers from using facial coverings while on duty, except in circumstances such as undercover assignments, tactical scenarios requiring protective equipment, safeguarding identity during prosecutions, or when necessitated by health, safety, or accommodation laws. The bill also directs all law enforcement agencies statewide to implement and publicly share policies restricting facial coverings, prioritizing transparency and accountability, and specifying that general safety concerns do not justify their use. Uniforms must bear clear agency identification, and officers are required to identify themselves by name or badge number when asked. The attorney general would be empowered to bring legal action against agencies not adhering to the law, certain civil immunities for officers committing specified torts while masked illegally would be eliminated, and $500,000 would be allocated for related training. The provisions take effect immediately upon enactment.

Of the four sponsors supporting this bill, Pricey Harrison introduced the largest number of proposals, totaling 61 during the 2025 regular session.

Legislative measures in North Carolina go through a multi-step process before becoming law. The process starts with a legislator filing a bill, after which it goes to a committee. Each chamber must read the bill three times, and any changes require agreement from both chambers. If both sides approve an identical version, it proceeds to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 days when the legislature is out of session) to sign, veto, or allow it to become law without action.

Additional information about bills and legislative actions is available here.

Cervania earned her BA from the University of California at Berkeley.

Elected in 2023, Cervania, a Democrat, serves as the representative for North Carolina’s 41st House district, succeeding former representative Gale Adcock.