AB 617

Under current law, a person who engages in violent, abusive, indecent, profane,

boisterous, unreasonably loud, or otherwise disorderly conduct under circumstances

in which the conduct tends to cause or provoke a disturbance commits the crime of

disorderly conduct and is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.

This bill increases the penalty to a Class A misdemeanor if the person commits

the crime of disorderly conduct while wearing a mask to conceal his or her identity.

The bill provides specific exceptions to the increased penalty such as excepting

masks worn for religious beliefs, masks worn as holiday costumes, masks worn for

protection from the weather, or masks worn for employment purposes.

Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime,

the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a

report.