Pa. lawmaker introduces bill that would make not wearing mask a misdemeanor

PITTSBURGH — A Pennsylvania state senator introduced legislation that would enable authorities to give misdemeanors to people who do not wear masks in public during the COVID-19 pandemic.

State Sen. Art Haywood (D) made the announcement a few months ago, and the proposal was formally introduced in the Senate Tuesday as SB-1287.

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Haywood said in the proposal that it would add "failing to adhere to the face covering requirements of a declaration of disaster emergency to the crime of ‘recklessly endangering another person,’ which is a second-degree misdemeanor.

Those offenses are punishable by up to two years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Of course, not every legislator is on-board with the bill. State Rep. Aaron Bernstine posted on Facebook yesterday after the bill was introduced, saying it couldn’t “get anymore crazy."

Under the bill, these penalties would go into effect in two months -- starting in early November.

To view the full bill, CLICK HERE.

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