Local, state, and federal law enforcement officers who cover their faces while conducting official business could face a misdemeanor charge in California under a new proposal announced Monday.

As Republicans have pushed for mask bans to crack down on shadowy protesters and criminals, a pair of Democratic lawmakers in California want to prohibit law enforcement officers from wearing face

Officers checking on a fallen man found a body still holding a dog’s leash, California police said. The man, in his 40s, was found on his back at 8:23 a.m. Saturday, June 14, San Leandro police said in a June 16 news release. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

California Senators introduced the No Secret Police Act, aiming to prohibit law enforcement from covering their faces for transparency and accountability, allowing exceptions for specific situations.

The settlement resolves an excessive force lawsuit over the shooting death of David Tovar, who was being sought by officers who sicced a police dog on him after he was fatally wounded.

Critics, including law enforcement associations, argue the bill could hinder undercover operations and endanger officers, especially federal agents. The acting director of ICE defended the use of face coverings in a statement to the Associated Press, citing death threats as a reason for the policy.

An angry security guard “purposely struck” a child on a bicycle at a San Rafael shopping mall and drove away, California police reported.

Law enforcement agencies across Southern California violated state law more than 100 times last month by sharing information from automated license plate readers with federal agents, records show.