A new Ohio law requires protesters and bystanders to give law enforcement a 15-foot buffer when they’re doing their jobs.
The change is aimed at keeping law enforcement safe in life-or-death scenarios but could infringe on protesters’ First Amendment rights.
House Bill 20, signed by Gov. Mike DeWine on July 7, will penalize anyone who doesn’t give law enforcement a 15-foot buffer zone when performing their duties. Protesters and bystanders can’t approach or remain in that area after receiving a warning from a first responder or if their presence interferes with officers’ duties.
“This bill simply allows first responders to focus on their duties and protect our community,” said Rep. Phil Plummer, a Republican former Montgomery County sheriff, who sponsored the bill with Rep. Thomas Hall, R-Madison Township.
The new law also increases the penalty for “obstructing official business” to a fourth-degree felony if the violation creates a risk of physical harm to a first responder.
Groups like the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio and the Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR) Ohio expressed concerns that the change was too broad and would chill free speech.
“While public safety is important, the bill’s broad language could be used to restrict lawful observation, recording, journalism, protest activity, and other constitutionally protected conduct in public spaces,” CAIR-Ohio wrote.
ACLU lobbyist Gary Daniels told lawmakers that the changes, intended to protect police, could be misused to violate First Amendment rights.
“In the wrong hands, House Bill 20 can be abused, used to avoid or minimize accountability and reduce transparency. Or to target certain individuals,” Daniels said.
Hall has said the concerns are not warranted.
“In this legislation, we are not saying people cannot be helpful, and we are not saying people cannot record the event that is going on,” Hall testified. “This legislation is simply providing the first responders the ability and opportunity to do their jobs more effectively and remain focused on the incident at hand.”
State government reporter Jessie Balmert can be reached at jbalmert@gannett.com or @jbalmert on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: New Ohio law requires 15-foot buffer for law enforcement
Reporting by Jessie Balmert, Cincinnati Enquirer / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Jessie Balmert, Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
