Bill > H1981

This bill establishes legal protections for individuals wearing personal protective medical equipment (PPE), which is defined as gear worn to minimize exposure to health risks, including face masks, respirators, gloves, face shields, protective eyewear, and gowns. The bill prohibits discrimination against individuals wearing necessary PPE, specifying that such discrimination can take various forms such as denying service, evicting someone from a premises, terminating employment, or applying undue pressure to prevent someone from wearing protective equipment. The legislation explicitly allows for momentary removal of PPE in specific situations like security checkpoints or when law enforcement requires identification. By creating these provisions, the bill aims to protect individuals' rights to protect their health by wearing medical protective gear without facing negative professional or social consequences, likely in response to experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic or other public health emergencies where wearing protective equipment became more common and sometimes controversial.