Committee Hears H.697 to Create 25‑Foot Buffer Around First Responders; Fraternal Order of Police Backs Measure

The House Government Operations & Military Affairs committee on Thursday heard testimony on H.697, a bill that would make it unlawful for a person to intentionally remain or come within 25 feet of a first responder during an acute public‑safety emergency.

Tim Devlin, legislative counsel, read the bill’s core language to the committee: "It is unlawful for a person to intentionally remain or come within 25 feet of [a] first responder during a public safety emergency," and said a conviction would carry up to 60 days in jail, a fine not to exceed $500, or both. Devlin said the bill as introduced sets an effective date of Jan. 1 (year not specified in testimony).

The measure defines "first responder" to include law enforcement officers certified by the Criminal Justice Council, firefighters as defined in statute and emergency‑medical personnel. Devlin told lawmakers the bill uses a fact‑dependent definition of "public safety emergency" — an "acute event in which a first responder must engage in the lawful performance of a legal duty to address an immediate threat to public…