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Jackson County holds ordinance on law‑enforcement face coverings pending legal opinion
Summary
Ordinance 6050, which would prohibit law‑enforcement officers from concealing faces or badges while on duty, was held after legislators said a legal opinion was not yet available; the motion to hold passed 7–2 on a roll call.
Ordinance 6050 — a proposed county code provision prohibiting law enforcement officers from concealing their faces or badges during official duties and establishing penalties and exemptions — was read into the record and discussed on July 27.
Several legislators said they were awaiting a legal opinion about statutory authority and possible federal conflicts. One legislator argued for action, saying in part: "The reality that ICE is here present in our community actively every single day, covering their faces, violating constitutional rights, I think it's behooving to us to step up and actually do something about it." In the absence of the requested legal opinion, the chair entertained a motion to hold the ordinance; the motion passed on a recorded roll call (7 yes, 2 no).
The chair announced the legislature would seek the county attorney's legal opinion and planned to have counsel present at the next meeting to provide guidance before further action.
