A ban on wearing masks in public was repealed during the pandemic.

Gov. Kathy Hochul is still pushing to ban wearing masks in public and, with negotiations ongoing, hopes to include the restriction in the state's budget. That's a bad idea, for more than one reason.

As we've said before, New Yorkers should be free to cover their faces for whatever reason they choose — to protect against catching a cold, to bundle up against the winter chill, to celebrate Halloween and, yes, to protest anonymously. Indeed, the right to anonymous speech is protected by the First Amendment and is backed by several significant U.S. Supreme Court rulings.........

© Times Union