Criminal Offenses

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text provide specific definitions for 'first responder' and 'harass', which were used in the final explanation.

Law to Protect First Responders

This law makes it a crime for someone to ignore a warning from a first responder and get too close to them while they are doing their job.

What This Bill Does

• Creates a new rule that says if you ignore a verbal warning not to approach from a first responder, such as a police officer or firefighter, and stay within 25 feet of them when they are working, it can be against the law.
• Defines 'first responder' as someone who helps in emergencies, including police officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, corrections officers, and other emergency service personnel.
• Explains that 'harass' means to do things on purpose that make a first responder feel substantial emotional distress without any good reason.

Who It Names or Affects

• First responders like police officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, corrections officers, and other people who help in emergencies.
• People who might ignore warnings from these workers when they are doing their jobs.

Terms To Know

first responder

A person who helps during an emergency, such as a police officer, firefighter, or EMT.

harass

To knowingly engage in a course of conduct directed at a first responder that intentionally causes the first responder to feel substantial emotional distress and serves no legitimate purpose.

Limits and Unknowns

• The law only applies if the person knows or reasonably should know they are dealing with a first responder who is doing their job.
• It does not specify what happens to local governments in terms of costs related to enforcing this new rule.

Official Summary Text

This bill provides that a person commits a Class B misdemeanor if the person,
after receiving a verbal warning not to approach from an individual, who the person knows or reasonably should know is a

law enforcement officer, corrections officer, firefighter
, emergency medical technician, or other emergency service personnel
(together, "
first responder
")
and who is engaged in the lawful performance of the first responder's official duties, knowingly violate
s
the warning and approach
es
or remain
s
within
25
fee
t of the first responder with the intent to
(i) i
mpede or interfere with the first responder's ability to perform the first responder's official duties;

(
ii
)
t
hreaten the first responder with physical harm; or

(
iii
)
h
arass the first responder.
As used in
this bill, "harass" means
to knowingly engage in a course of conduct directed at a first responder that intentionally causes the first responder to feel substantial emotional distress and serves no legitimate purpose.

Current Bill Text

HOUSE BILL 158
By Eldridge

SENATE BILL 979
By Southerland

SB0979
001228
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39,
relative to offenses against first responders.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 16, Part 5, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) As used in this section:
(1) "First responder" means a law enforcement officer, corrections officer,
firefighter, emergency medical technician, or other emergency service personnel;
and
(2) "Harass" means to knowingly engage in a course of conduct directed
at a first responder that intentionally causes the first responder to feel substantial
emotional distress and serves no legitimate purpose.
(b) It is an offense for a person, after receiving a verbal warning not to approach
from an individual, who the person knows or reasonably should know is a first responder
and who is engaged in the lawful performance of the first responder's official duties, to
knowingly violate the warning and approach or remain within twenty-five feet (25') of the
first responder with the intent to:
(1) Impede or interfere with the first responder's ability to perform the first
responder's official duties;
(2) Threaten the first responder with physical harm; or
(3) Harass the first responder.
(c) A person who violates this section commits a Class B misdemeanor.

- 2 - 001228

SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.