Bill > SB137

This bill creates new penalties for obstructing access to health care facilities in Virginia. It defines a "health care facility" as any place licensed or authorized to provide medical treatment. The bill makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor, a more serious offense, for anyone not authorized by the facility to knowingly block, delay, or impede another person from entering or leaving the facility. Additionally, it establishes a Class 3 misdemeanor, a less serious offense, for individuals who knowingly approach someone within eight feet in public areas or sidewalks within a 40-foot radius of a health care facility's entrance without consent, if the intent is to distribute materials, display signs, or engage in oral protest, education, or counseling. The bill clarifies that these restrictions do not limit the content of any message someone wishes to communicate.

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https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB137