House Judiciary Committee hears testimony on S.0208 as law enforcement warns of health and operational risks; AG's office flags likely litigation

The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday continued hearings on S.0208, a proposed statute restricting face coverings for law enforcement and requiring visible identification, hearing testimony from law-enforcement representatives and the attorney general's office about safety, operational and constitutional concerns.

Jimmy Baldia, a Rutland County deputy sheriff who serves as national trustee for the Fraternal Order of Police's Vermont lodge, told the committee he came to advocate "for the physical and mental health of our officers and also for the safety of their families" and warned the bill's penalties could backfire. "It's reasonable to believe that an average everyday officer, in fear of this thousand dollar penalty, in fear of possibly losing their certification, their livelihood, their source of income, they may decide to not wear a mask when they're allowed to," Baldia said, arguing that officers who forgo protective equipment could bring infections or contaminants home.

Baldia recounted on-duty incidents that later put him at risk off-duty and described field conditions where officers use improvised protective…