Existing law makes it a misdemeanor to wear a mask, false whiskers, or any personal disguise, as specified, with the purpose of evading or escaping discovery, recognition, or identification while committing a public offense, or for concealment, flight, evasion, or escape from arrest or conviction for any public offense.

This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to these provisions, and would delete false whiskers from the list of identity-concealing items.

Existing law authorizes the chief administrative officer of an educational campus or facility, as specified, or their designee to withdraw a person’s consent to remain at the campus or facility when there is reasonable belief that the person has willfully disrupted the orderly operation of the campus or facility. Under existing law, a person who willfully and knowingly enters or remains at a campus or facility while consent is withdrawn is guilty of a misdemeanor.

This bill would make it a misdemeanor to fail to remove a mask or personal disguise at the demand of a law enforcement officer or public safety official, as specified, while in a public space of a campus or other facility of a community college, California State University, University of California, or public school, as defined, if the officer or official has a reasonable suspicion that the individual has been or is currently involved in a crime. By creating a new crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.