Sponsors (3)
The bill increases safety and reduces interruptions for federal officers by creating new obstruction/harassment offenses, at the cost of broader criminalization and vague standards that could curtail peaceful recording/protest and enable discretionary enforcement.
Federal law enforcement officers would face fewer close-range threats and harassment, improving officer safety while performing duties.
Law enforcement and taxpayers could see fewer interruptions to federal operations because the bill may deter obstruction and harassment of federal officers.
People may be criminally charged for peacefully protesting or recording officers if they fail to heed a verbal warning and are judged to 'impede' or 'harass', which particularly risks restricting people with disabilities who document or observe police activity.
Vague terms in the law (e.g., 'impede', 'harass', 'reasonably should know', 'legitimate purpose') would give officers and prosecutors wide discretion, increasing the risk of selective or overbroad enforcement against the general public.
The bill creates criminal penalties (including up to five years' imprisonment) for conduct that can be nonviolent, increasing prison exposure and potentially raising costs for taxpayers.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a federal crime for knowingly approaching or remaining within 15 feet of a federal officer after a warning, with intent to impede, threaten, or harass, punishable by up to 5 years.
Official title: To amend title 18, United States Code, to establish a safety buffer zone to protect certain Federal law enforcement officers, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 13, 2026 by Nicole Malliotakis · Last progress May 13, 2026
Creates a new federal criminal offense that makes it illegal to knowingly approach or remain within 15 feet of a federal law enforcement officer after a verbal warning not to approach, when done with intent to impede, threaten, or harass the officer; violation can be fined and/or punished by up to 5 years in prison. Also updates the federal criminal code table of sections and establishes a short title for the Act.