--- description: Similar bans already exist in some states around the country title: Oklahoma Legislator Proposes Hoodie Ban image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- * [U.S.](/section/us/) ## U.S. Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Oklahoma Legislator Proposes Hoodie Ban  by [Denver Nicks](/author/denver-nicks/)  ## Denver Nicks Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jan 1, 2015 2:35 PM CUT  by [Denver Nicks](/author/denver-nicks/)  ## Denver Nicks Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jan 1, 2015 2:35 PM CUT Oklahoma could [join](http://www.newson6.com/story/27740198/new-proposed-bill-may-ban-hoodies-in-public-places "undefined") a list of states where it is illegal to wear a hoodie in public, if a state senator’s proposed bill goes through. Republican state senator Don Barrington has authored a bill to ban wearing a mask, hood or other face-covering in order to hide one’s identity in a public space, Oklahoma’s Channel 6 reports. The measure includes exceptions for holidays and special events like Halloween and religious beliefs. Similar laws are already on the books in 10 states around the country, including Florida, California, New York and Washington, DC. Proponents say hoodie bans help deter crime by preventing people from hiding their identity while entering a store or other public space, but critics of the measure argue that such laws restrict free expression and exacerbate problems with racial profiling in communities of color. \[[_Channel 6_](http://www.newson6.com/story/27740198/new-proposed-bill-may-ban-hoodies-in-public-places "undefined")\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3651529/oklahoma-hoodie-ban/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3651529/oklahoma-hoodie-ban/"},"headline":"Oklahoma Legislator Proposes Hoodie Ban","datePublished":"2015-01-01T14:35:14.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T03:13:14.052Z","description":"Similar bans already exist in some places around the country","url":"https://time.com/3651529/oklahoma-hoodie-ban/","keywords":["Crime","Oklahoma","Race","theft"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Denver Nicks","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/denver-nicks/"}],"articleSection":"U.S.","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/us/","name":"U.S."}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3651529/oklahoma-hoodie-ban/","name":"Oklahoma Legislator Proposes Hoodie Ban"}}]}] ```