HF2809

Purpose of the Bill

The purpose of this bill is to establish a new crime called "residential protesting," which seeks to maintain the peace and safety of individuals in their homes by limiting where protests can occur.

Main Provisions

• Definition of Residential Protesting: It is defined as any protest conducted in front of or around a person's residence or dwelling, unless that residence is also a business.
• Penalties for Violating the Law:
  • A general violation of this prohibition results in a misdemeanor charge.
  • A violation becomes a gross misdemeanor if it is committed by someone with a prior conviction for residential protesting or if there is an existing court order against the person, which they are aware of. This includes orders like protection orders, restraining orders, domestic abuse no-contact orders, and other related legal injunctions.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Introduces a new statute specifically targeting protests near personal residences.
• Establishes specific legal consequences and differentiates between first-time violations and repeated offenses or violations of existing legal orders concerning harassment or contact restrictions.

Exemptions

• The bill specifies that it does not prevent peaceful protests at locations traditionally used for public meetings or assemblies such as public squares or government buildings.

Relevant Terms

residential protesting, misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor, court orders, order for protection, restraining order, domestic abuse no contact order, pretrial release, injunction