California lawmakers passed a bill banning face masks for law enforcement officers while on duty. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
Exceptions would be permitted for undercover agents, medical masks like N95 respirators or tactical gear.
Newsom has about a month to sign the legislation into law. While he has criticized federal agents' use of masks during arrests, he has also raised questions over the summer about the state's authority over federal agents.
Federal agents have conducted immigration raids in Southern California since June, sparking protests and the subsequent federal deployment of the National Guard and Marines.
Proponents of the bill said the proposal is needed following a Supreme Court ruling earlier this week allowing the federal government to resume sweeping immigration raids in Los Angeles, which also permits agents to target migrants based on things like race or ethnicity, speaking in Spanish or presence at specific locations.
Assemblymember Juan Carrillo, a Democrat, said the SCOTUS ruling is "effectively allowing federal agents to stop suspects based solely on their race, language, or job."
MASSACHUSETTS BILL WOULD FORCE ICE AGENTS TO UNMASK
Republican lawmakers and law enforcement agencies contended that the legislation would only make the job more dangerous for officers. (Getty Images)
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Republican lawmakers and law enforcement agencies argue that the legislation would only make the job more dangerous for officers.
"Bad guys wear masks because they don't want to get caught. Good guys wear masks because they don't want to get killed," GOP state Sen. Kelly Seyarto said.
Trump administration officials have attempted to defend the practice of face coverings by stating that federal immigration agents have faced an increase in harassment in public and online.
But others, including several state attorneys general, argued that the use of face masks generates fear among the public and must be stopped.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/california-legislature-passes-bill-prohibiting-law-enforcement-from-wearing-face-masks-shield-identities