Florida Senate - 2023                      CS for CS for SB 1126
       
       
        
       By the Committees on Community Affairs; and Criminal Justice;
       and Senator Avila
       
       
       
       
       578-03555-23                                          20231126c2
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to impeding, threatening, or harassing
    3         first responders; creating s. 843.31, F.S.; defining
    4         the terms “first responder” and “harass”; prohibiting
    5         a person, after receiving a warning not to approach
    6         from a first responder who is engaged in the lawful
    7         performance of a legal duty, to violate such warning
    8         and approach or remain within a specified distance of
    9         the first responder with specified intent; providing
   10         criminal penalties; providing an effective date.
   11          
   12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   13  
   14         Section 1. Section 843.31, Florida Statutes, is created to
   15  read:
   16         843.31 Approaching a first responder after a warning with
   17  intent to impede, provoke, or harass.—
   18         (1) As used in this section, the term:
   19         (a) “First responder” includes a law enforcement officer as
   20  defined in s. 943.10(1), a correctional probation officer as
   21  defined in s. 943.10(3), a firefighter as defined in s. 784.07,
   22  and an emergency medical care provider as defined in s. 784.07.
   23         (b) “Harass” means to engage in a course of conduct
   24  directed at a first responder which causes substantial emotional
   25  distress in that first responder and serves no legitimate
   26  purpose.
   27         (2)(a) It is unlawful for a person, after receiving a
   28  warning not to approach from a first responder who is engaged in
   29  the lawful performance of a legal duty, to violate such warning
   30  and approach or remain within 14 feet, roughly the length of an
   31  average midsize sedan vehicle, of the first responder with the
   32  intent to:
   33         1. Interrupt, disrupt, hinder, impede, or interfere with
   34  the first responder’s ability to perform such duty;
   35         2. Threaten the first responder with physical harm; or
   36         3. Harass the first responder or make so much noise that a
   37  first responder is prevented from performing their official
   38  duties or providing medical aid.
   39         (b) A person who violates this subsection commits a
   40  misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s.
   41  775.082 or s. 775.083.
   42         Section 2. This act shall take effect October 1, 2023.