NY pols trying to kill Hochul’s mask restriction proposal due to ‘heightened concern’ over ICE arrests of anti-Israel protesters

The state Senate is trying to kill Gov. Kathy Hochul’s last-minute push to crack down on masked protesters — out of “heightened concern” for student demonstrators, sources told The Post Thursday.

Some of the lawmakers are worried about protecting protesters’ ability to rally while shielding their identities following the recent high-profile arrests by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement of anti-Israel college demonstrators, according to the sources.

“It’s dead unless she forces it,” one state senator said of Hochul and her proposal.

Lawmakers are rejecting Gov. Kathy Hochul’s push to implement restrictions on mask-wearing in public. Newsday via Getty Images

Three other sources confirmed that senators are mostly panning the governor’s pitch behind closed doors.

Hochul wants to create an increased penalty for harassment when someone purposely hides their face while menacing or threatening violence against a group of people.

The governor, however, has been largely silent on the issue publicly since she first pitched it last year and left it out of her State of the State address in January that listed her priorities for 2025.

Hochul tried to slide the issue behind closed doors during budget negotiations with legislators last month, sources have said.

Proponents such as the NAACP and Anti-Defamation League say it would help cut down on antisemitic thugs threatening and calling for violence against Jewish communities.

Some opponents argue it would lead to indiscriminate policing and have a chilling effect for protesters.

Christopher Sadowski

State Sen. James Skoufis (D-Orange) sponsors the bill that Hochul is proposing inserting into the budget deal.

He told The Post that word of the proposal’s death has been largely exaggerated.

“It’s still a live bill,” Skoufis said, noting that he thinks his proposal will most likely have to be tweaked in order to make it across the finish line.

“If we can get the lion’s share of the proposal, I’d happily support the lion’s share of the proposal getting into the final budget,” he said.

The governor defended her last-minute push behind closed doors as a strategic move last month.

“You can look at past years on other issues that have come up later and have been successful,” Hochul said.

Lawmakers in both the Senate and Assembly have been griping over the last week that Hochul has held up the spending plan, which was due Tuesday, over policy issues before clearing the way to discuss actual budgetary items.