Bill > SB104

This bill establishes the crime of "impeding a first responder," defining a first responder broadly to include various law enforcement and emergency personnel, and defining "harass" as intentionally causing substantial emotional distress without a legitimate purpose. It makes it illegal for a person, after being warned by a first responder, to knowingly approach or remain within twenty-five feet of them with the intent to interfere with their duties, threaten them with physical harm, or harass them; penalties range from a Class B misdemeanor for a first offense to a Class D felony for subsequent offenses. Additionally, the bill expands the Alan "Chip" Terry Professional Development and Wellness Program, previously for firefighters, to include "rescue squad members" (defined as members of a rescue squad) and allows them to access the program's mental health and counseling services, including up to forty-eight hours of leave after a critical incident, with provisions for paid or unpaid leave determined by policy.