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Senate passes bill defining 25-foot ‘reactionary gap’; debate centers on measurement and officer discretion
Summary
The Indiana Senate passed House Bill 11 22, which keeps a 25-foot reactionary gap around law enforcement officers but adds a requirement that an officer must reasonably believe continued encroachment would interfere with duties before ordering someone to stop. The bill passed 39-10 after extended floor debate about vagueness and enforceability.
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Senate on March 11 passed House Bill 11 22, a measure that keeps a 25-foot “reactionary gap” around law enforcement officers but narrows enforcement to situations where an officer reasonably believes continued encroachment would interfere with official duties. The bill passed on the floor, 39 ayes to 10 nays.
Supporters, led by bill author Senator Mark Baldwin, said the change responds to a court challenge that found prior language ambiguous. Baldwin said the bill is targeted at “interference,” not mere presence, and added that officers must be able to explain in court why they believed a person’s actions would impede their duties.
Opponents focused on how the statute will be enforced in practice. Senator Don Young and others asked how a citizen could prove they were outside the…
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