Kentucky 2024 2024 Regular Session

Kentucky House Bill HB626 Introduced / Bill

                    UNOFFICIAL COPY  	24 RS BR 1982 
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AN ACT relating to interference with a legislative proceeding. 1 
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 2 
SECTION 1.   A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 519 IS CREATED TO 3 
READ AS FOLLOWS: 4 
As used in Sections 1 to 3 of this Act: 5 
(1) "Conspire" means to engage in activity constituting a criminal conspiracy as 6 
defined in KRS 506.040; 7 
(2) "Facilitates" means to engage in activity constituting criminal facilitation as 8 
defined in KRS 506.080; 9 
(3) "General Assembly" means the Legislative Research Commission, House of 10 
Representatives, Senate, or any committee, subcommittee, interim joint 11 
committee, working group, or task force thereof; 12 
(4) "Legislative building" means the Capitol, Capitol Annex, or other structure used 13 
by the General Assembly for conducting its business; and 14 
(5) "Person" means any person other than a legislator, legislative staff member, or 15 
legislative officer of the House of Representatives or Senate. 16 
SECTION 2.   A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 519 IS CREATED TO 17 
READ AS FOLLOWS: 18 
(1) A person is guilty of interference with a legislative proceeding in the first degree 19 
when, with the intent to disrupt, impede, or prevent the General Assembly from 20 
conducting business, he or she knowingly engages in, conspires to engage in, or 21 
facilitates another person engaging in disorderly or disruptive conduct in any 22 
legislative building and the conduct disrupts, impedes, or prevents the General 23 
Assembly from conducting business. 24 
(2) Interference with a legislative proceeding in the first degree is a Class A 25 
misdemeanor for the first offense and a Class D felony for a second or 26 
subsequent offense. 27  UNOFFICIAL COPY  	24 RS BR 1982 
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SECTION 3.   A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 519 IS CREATED TO 1 
READ AS FOLLOWS: 2 
(1) A person is guilty of interference with a legislative proceeding in the second 3 
degree when, with the intent to disrupt, impede, or prevent the General Assembly 4 
from conducting business, he or she knowingly: 5 
(a) Enters into or remains inside, conspires to enter into or remain inside, or 6 
facilitates another person entering into or remaining inside a chamber or 7 
gallery of the General Assembly, or another room inside a legislative 8 
building that is set aside or designated for the use of the members of the 9 
General Assembly; or 10 
(b) Obstructs or impedes, conspires to obstruct or impede, or facilitates another 11 
person obstructing or impeding a legislator, legislative officer, or legislative 12 
staff member's ingress, egress, or movement within a legislative building. 13 
(2) Interference with a legislative proceeding in the second degree is a Class B 14 
misdemeanor for the first offense and a Class A misdemeanor for a second or 15 
subsequent offense. 16 
Section 4.   KRS 431.015 is amended to read as follows: 17 
(1) (a) KRS 431.005 to the contrary notwithstanding, and except as provided in 18 
paragraphs (b), (c),[ and] (d), and (e) of this subsection, a peace officer shall 19 
issue a citation instead of making an arrest for a misdemeanor committed in 20 
his or her presence, if there are reasonable grounds to believe that the person 21 
being cited will appear to answer the charge. The citation shall provide that 22 
the defendant shall appear within a designated time. 23 
(b) A peace officer may make an arrest instead of issuing a citation for a 24 
misdemeanor committed in his or her presence if the misdemeanor is: 25 
1. A violation of KRS Chapter 508, 510, or 527, or KRS 189A.010, 26 
511.050, 511.085, 514.110, or 523.110; 27  UNOFFICIAL COPY  	24 RS BR 1982 
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2. An offense in which the defendant poses a risk of danger to himself, 1 
herself, or another person; or 2 
3. An offense in which the defendant refuses to follow the peace officer's 3 
reasonable instructions. 4 
(c) A peace officer shall make an arrest for violations of protective orders issued 5 
pursuant to KRS 403.715 to 403.785 or an order of protection as defined in 6 
KRS 456.010. 7 
(d) A peace officer may make an arrest or may issue a citation for a violation of 8 
KRS 508.030 which occurs in a hospital pursuant to KRS 431.005(1)(f). 9 
(e) A peace officer shall make an arrest for a violation of Section 2 or 3 of this 10 
Act. 11 
(2) A peace officer may issue a citation instead of making an arrest for a violation 12 
committed in his or her presence but may not make a physical arrest unless there 13 
are reasonable grounds to believe that the defendant, if a citation is issued, will not 14 
appear at the designated time or unless the offense charged is a violation of KRS 15 
189.223, 189.290, 189.393, 189.520, 189.580, 235.240, 281.600, 511.080, or 16 
525.070 committed in his or her presence or a violation of KRS 189A.010, not 17 
committed in his or her presence, for which an arrest without a warrant is permitted 18 
under KRS 431.005(1)(e). 19 
(3) A peace officer may issue a citation when he or she has probable cause to believe 20 
that the person being issued the citation has committed a misdemeanor outside of 21 
his or her presence, if there are reasonable grounds to believe that the person being 22 
cited will appear to answer the charge. The citation shall provide that the defendant 23 
shall appear within a designated time. 24 
(4) If the defendant fails to appear in response to the citation, or if there are reasonable 25 
grounds to believe that he or she will not appear, a complaint may be made before a 26 
judge and a warrant shall issue. 27  UNOFFICIAL COPY  	24 RS BR 1982 
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(5) When a physical arrest is made and a citation is issued in relation to the same 1 
offense the officer shall mark on the citation, in the place specified for court 2 
appearance date, the word "ARRESTED" in lieu of the date of court appearance. 3