| 17 | | - | definitions; specifying that peaceful recording, 4 |
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| 18 | | - | photographing, or observation is not harassment; 5 |
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| 19 | | - | prohibiting approaching a first responder or remaining 6 |
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| 20 | | - | within a specified distance of such person with the 7 |
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| 21 | | - | intent to impede, threaten, or harass the person after 8 |
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| 22 | | - | receiving a warning not to approach; providin g 9 |
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| 23 | | - | criminal penalties; providing an effective date. 10 |
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| 24 | | - | 11 |
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| 25 | | - | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 12 |
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| 26 | | - | 13 |
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| 27 | | - | Section 1. Section 843.31, Florida Statutes, is created to 14 |
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| 28 | | - | read: 15 |
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| 29 | | - | 843.31 Approaching a first responder with specified intent 16 |
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| 30 | | - | after a warning.— 17 |
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| 31 | | - | (1) As used in this section, the term: 18 |
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| 32 | | - | (a) "First responder" includes a law enforcement officer 19 |
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| 33 | | - | as defined in s. 943.10(1), a firefighter as defined in s. 20 |
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| 34 | | - | 784.07(1), and an emergency medical care provider as defined in 21 |
|---|
| 35 | | - | s. 784.07(1). 22 |
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| 36 | | - | (b) "Harass" means to willfully engage in a course of 23 |
|---|
| 37 | | - | conduct directed at a first responder which intentionally causes 24 |
|---|
| 38 | | - | substantial emotional distress in that first responder and 25 |
|---|
| 17 | + | definitions; specifying that peaceful recording or 4 |
|---|
| 18 | + | observation is not harassment; prohibiting approaching 5 |
|---|
| 19 | + | a first responder or remaining within a specified 6 |
|---|
| 20 | + | distance of such person with the intent to impede, 7 |
|---|
| 21 | + | threaten, or harass or physically prevent the person 8 |
|---|
| 22 | + | from performing lawful duties after receiving a 9 |
|---|
| 23 | + | warning not to approach; providing criminal penalties; 10 |
|---|
| 24 | + | providing an effective date. 11 |
|---|
| 25 | + | 12 |
|---|
| 26 | + | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 13 |
|---|
| 27 | + | 14 |
|---|
| 28 | + | Section 1. Section 843.31, Florida Statutes, is created to 15 |
|---|
| 29 | + | read: 16 |
|---|
| 30 | + | 843.31 Approaching a first responder after a warning with 17 |
|---|
| 31 | + | the intent to impede, threaten, or harass or physically prevent 18 |
|---|
| 32 | + | the first responder from performing lawful duties. — 19 |
|---|
| 33 | + | (1) As used in this section, the term: 20 |
|---|
| 34 | + | (a) "First responder" includes a law enforcement officer 21 |
|---|
| 35 | + | as defined in s. 943.10(1), a firefighter as defined in s. 22 |
|---|
| 36 | + | 784.07(1), and an emergency medical care provider as defined in 23 |
|---|
| 37 | + | s. 784.07(1). 24 |
|---|
| 38 | + | (b) "Harass" means to willfully engage in a course of 25 |
|---|
| 51 | | - | serves no legitimate purpose. The peaceful audio or video 26 |
|---|
| 52 | | - | recording, photographing, or e yewitness observing of a first 27 |
|---|
| 53 | | - | responder is a legitimate purpose that does not, by itself, 28 |
|---|
| 54 | | - | constitute harassment. 29 |
|---|
| 55 | | - | (2)(a) It is unlawful for a person, after receiving a 30 |
|---|
| 56 | | - | verbal warning not to approach from a person he or she knows or 31 |
|---|
| 57 | | - | reasonably should know is a first responder, who is engaged in 32 |
|---|
| 58 | | - | the lawful performance of a legal duty, to knowingly and 33 |
|---|
| 59 | | - | willfully violate such warning and approach or remain within 20 34 |
|---|
| 60 | | - | feet of the first responder with the intent to: 35 |
|---|
| 61 | | - | 1. Interrupt, disrupt, hinder, impede, or in terfere with 36 |
|---|
| 62 | | - | the first responder's ability to perform such duty; 37 |
|---|
| 63 | | - | 2. Threaten the first responder with physical harm; or 38 |
|---|
| 64 | | - | 3. Harass the first responder. 39 |
|---|
| 65 | | - | (b) A person who violates this subsection commits a 40 |
|---|
| 66 | | - | misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 41 |
|---|
| 67 | | - | 775.082 or s. 775.083. 42 |
|---|
| 68 | | - | Section 2. This act shall take effect October 1, 2024. 43 |
|---|
| 51 | + | conduct directed at a first responder which intentionally causes 26 |
|---|
| 52 | + | substantial emotional distress in that first responder and 27 |
|---|
| 53 | + | serves no legitimate purpose. The peaceful audio or video 28 |
|---|
| 54 | + | recording or eyewitness observing of a first responder is a 29 |
|---|
| 55 | + | legitimate purpose that does not constitute harassment. 30 |
|---|
| 56 | + | (2)(a) It is unlawful for a person, a fter receiving a 31 |
|---|
| 57 | + | verbal warning not to approach from a person he or she knows or 32 |
|---|
| 58 | + | reasonably should know is a first responder, who is engaged in 33 |
|---|
| 59 | + | the lawful performance of a legal duty, to knowingly and 34 |
|---|
| 60 | + | willfully violate such warning and continue to approach or 35 |
|---|
| 61 | + | remain within 20 feet of the first responder with the intent to: 36 |
|---|
| 62 | + | 1. Interrupt, disrupt, hinder, impede, or interfere with 37 |
|---|
| 63 | + | the first responder's ability to perform such duty; 38 |
|---|
| 64 | + | 2. Threaten the first responder or physically prevent the 39 |
|---|
| 65 | + | first responder from performing his or her lawful duties; or 40 |
|---|
| 66 | + | 3. Harass the first responder. 41 |
|---|
| 67 | + | (b) A person who violates this subsection commits a 42 |
|---|
| 68 | + | misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 43 |
|---|
| 69 | + | 775.082 or s. 775.083. 44 |
|---|
| 70 | + | Section 2. This act shall take eff ect October 1, 2024. 45 |
|---|