HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 465        FILED ON: 1/9/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Steven George Xiarhos and Richard G. Wells, Jr.

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act ensuring the safety and dignity of first responders (Halo Act).

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 465        FILED ON: 1/9/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act ensuring the safety and dignity of first responders (Halo Act).

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION ONE. Chapter 271 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 52. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:-

“First responder”, shall include any law enforcement officer, a paid, call, reserve or volunteer firefighter, a paid, call, reserve or volunteer emergency medical technician, or any other person whose usual and regular duties include rendering assistance at the scene of a crime, accident or other emergency.

“Harass”, means to willfully engage in a course of conduct directed at a first responder which intentionally causes substantial emotional distress in that first responder and serves no legitimate purpose.

(b) No person, after receiving a verbal warning not to approach from a person he or she knows or reasonably should know is a first responder and who is engaged in the lawful performance of a legal duty, shall knowingly and willfully violate such warning and approach or remain within 25 feet of the first responder with the intent to impede or interfere with the first responder’s ability to perform such duty, threaten the first responder with physical harm, or harass the first responder.

(c) Any violation of this section shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000 for the first offense, and for each and every subsequent offense, by a fine or not more than $5,000 or imprisonment not exceeding one year, or both.