[2006alum]

We have laws requiring seat belt wearing in cars.  Masks are effectively the same thing.  If people aren't going to wear them voluntarily or at government request, there is no reason laws can't be passed that will result in sanction if not wearing one.

A $500 fine if not wearing a mask when inside any building or outside with a group of 5 or more people (or something like this), would be perfectly doable. Police or code enforcement can easily take pictures of offending parties to get the evidence needed to win any court challenge to tickets issued for not wearing a mask.

Although I always wear a seatbelt, I can say from firsthand experience as a passenger in others' vehicles that the seatbelt law is beyond imperfectly enforced, and there are 20+ times the number of people walking around outside or in public accommodations for every person in a moving vehicle.

I'm with GR and BC that the better route here is regulatory enforcement through public accommodations. I imagine any shop owner who put up a sign that said "Wear a mask - or *I'll* be fined" would get a sympathetic audience even from those customers otherwise disinclined to wear masks. 

And speaking from personal experience, when I'm running out to my garage to grab something from my car, I'm not going to wear a mask, and if someone tried to stop and ticket me, I'd be really PO'd. Nevertheless, I'd never object to any business turning me away for failing to wear a mask.

[2006alum]

We have laws requiring seat belt wearing in cars.  Masks are effectively the same thing.  If people aren't going to wear them voluntarily or at government request, there is no reason laws can't be passed that will result in sanction if not wearing one.

A $500 fine if not wearing a mask when inside any building or outside with a group of 5 or more people (or something like this), would be perfectly doable. Police or code enforcement can easily take pictures of offending parties to get the evidence needed to win any court challenge to tickets issued for not wearing a mask.

Although I always wear a seatbelt, I can say from firsthand experience as a passenger in others' vehicles that the seatbelt law is beyond imperfectly enforced, and there are 20+ times the number of people walking around outside or in public accommodations for every person in a moving vehicle.

I'm with GR and BC that the better route here is regulatory enforcement through public accommodations. I imagine any shop owner who put up a sign that said "Wear a mask - or *I'll* be fined" would get a sympathetic audience even from those customers otherwise disinclined to wear masks. 

And speaking from personal experience, when I'm running out to my garage to grab something from my car, I'm not going to wear a mask, and if someone tried to stop and ticket me, I'd be really PO'd. Nevertheless, I'd never object to any business turning me away for failing to wear a mask.