"VFAF's bill to increase protections for Law Enforcement Officers/1st Responders swept through the Senate Judiciary Committee and is headed to the Senate and House!!! Off to AL, TN, VA, SC and KY!! "said Robert Cornicelli Pres, VFAF
SB 268
Senate Bill 268 By: Senators Robertson of the 29th, Gooch of the 51st, Albers of the 56th, Bearden of the 30th and Payne of the 54th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Article 2 of Chapter 11 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, 1 relating to offenses against public order, so as to provide for the crime of interference with 2 a first responder; to provide for penalties; to provide for definitions; to provide for related 3 matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: 5 SECTION 1. 6 Article 2 of Chapter 11 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to 7 offenses against public order, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows: 8 "16-11-46. 9 (a) As used in this Code section, the term: 10 (1) 'First responder' means any person or agency who provides on-site care until the 11 arrival of a duly licensed ambulance service. This shall include, but not be limited to, 12 persons who routinely respond to calls for assistance through an affiliation with law 13 enforcement agencies, fire suppression agencies, rescue agencies, and others. 14 S. B. 268- 1 25 LC 56 0346
(2) 'Harass' means to willfully engage in any conduct directed at a first responder which 15 intentionally causes substantial emotional distress in that first responder and serves no 16 legitimate purpose. 17 (b) A person commits the offense of interference with a first responder when he or she, 18 after receiving a verbal warning not to approach from a person he or she knows or 19 reasonably should know is a first responder, who is engaged in the lawful performance of 20 a legal duty, knowingly and willfully violates such warning and approaches or remains 21 within 25 feet of the first responder with the intent to: 22 (1) Impede or interfere with the first responder's ability to perform such duty; 23 (2) Threaten the first responder with physical harm; or 24 (3) Harass the first responder. 25 (c) A person convicted pursuant to this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of 26 a high and aggravated nature." 27
SECTION 2. 28 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed