Senate Judiciary committee hears public testimony on first-responder interference bill, adopts news exemption

A Senate Judiciary Committee public hearing on SB 293 on the First Responder Interference Act centered on whether a 25‑foot buffer around responders should be criminalized and how the law would be applied.

Senator Weaver introduced the bill as a measure to protect responders: the proposal would make it a Class A misdemeanor for a person who, after being instructed to leave, approaches or remains within 25 feet of a first responder (law enforcement, firefighter or EMS) and impedes, threatens or otherwise harasses them. "If a first responder ... is in their role as a first responder doing their duty and a person approaches or remains in 25 ft of them or tries to impede or threaten or otherwise harass them after being instructed not to, it would be a class A misdemeanor," Weaver said.

In proponent testimony, Eric Pinley, president of the Alabama Ambulance Association, said responders need legal protections to preserve scene safety and patient care. "We fully support this bill ... it's a public safety issue. I feel like a safety issue for our first responders. I also think it's a patient care issue," Pinley told the committee, describing how crowds can distract crews and risk treatment errors.

Camille Bennett of Project Say Something opposed the bill, warning of free‑speech and practical enforcement problems. She argued that the 25‑foot rule could be hard to measure in real time, risk charging multiple bystanders with misdemeanors, and could curb third‑party recordings that sometimes contradict official reports. "SB 293 can violate the rights of protesters and citizens ... This bill will eliminate that window of accountability," Bennett said.

Huie Hosmack, representing the Alabama Sheriffs Association, urged support, citing officer‑safety training and the so‑called 16‑foot rule as a basis for a larger safety buffer. "25 ft is not an unreasonable distance for officer safety and all of our first responders," Hosmack said, adding that common‑sense discretion would cover close family members who must assist injured people.

After debate, Senator Weaver offered and the committee adopted an amendment clarifying that the bill "does not apply to news gathering activities from bonafide news organizations," a change Weaver said was negotiated with press representatives. The committee did not vote on final passage of SB 293; it was taken up for a public hearing and the amendment was adopted for a future session.

What happens next: the bill will return to committee as amended; sponsors and opponents signaled intent to refine language to address concerns about measurement, mental‑health or disability exceptions, and the scope of application.