Wearing a Hoodie in Oklahoma Could Soon Result in a $500 Fine
If one Oklahoma lawmaker gets his way, hoodies will be illegal to wear in public.
State Senator Don Barrington has introduced a bill to the Oklahoma legislature making it illegal to wear hoodies in public, or anything else that can be used to hide one's identity.
The state already has a law in place since the 1920s making it illegal to wear a hood or anything else to conceal one's identity while committing a crime. It was originally created to combat crimes committed by the KKK, but Barrington is wanting to take it a step further.
“The intent of Senate Bill 13 is to make businesses and public places safer by ensuring that people cannot conceal their identities for the purpose of crime or harassment," Barrington said, according to KFOR television. "Similar language has been in Oklahoma statutes for decades and numerous other states have similar laws in place. Oklahoma businesses want state leaders to be responsive to their safety concerns, and this is one way we can provide protection.”
If the bill passes, the fine for wearing a hoodie or concealing your identity in public would be $500.
“I think this is a violation of an individual’s right to chose what they want to wear as long as it doesn’t violate the realm of public decency and moral values, and I think this could be very problematic,” attorney Jason Siderias told the news station.
The bill offers exceptions for religious use, protection from weather, Halloween costumes and other instances. See the full bill proposal here.