Sponsors (2)
The bill increases federal protection and accountability for attacks on reporters but narrows who qualifies as a 'journalist' and expands federal criminal jurisdiction, creating potential gaps in coverage for grassroots newsgathering and added federal costs.
Journalists (and news organizations) gain stronger legal protection from assaults while reporting because the bill creates new federal penalties that raise the risk and severity of punishment for attackers.
Federal prosecutors can pursue violent acts that impede newsgathering even when state charges are absent, improving accountability for attacks on reporters and creating a federal backstop for enforcement.
Independent, community, or citizen reporters and bystanders who document events may be excluded by the bill's narrow definition of 'journalist,' leaving some people who engage in newsgathering without the intended protections.
Creating federal crimes for some assaults that impede reporting can duplicate existing state laws, increasing federal caseloads, prosecutorial discretion, and potential costs to taxpayers and federal courts.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Adds federal crimes for intentionally causing bodily or serious bodily injury to someone the attacker knows (or should know) is a journalist during newsgathering or to intimidate/impede newsgathering, with penalties up to 3 or 6 years.
Introduced May 5, 2025 by Eric Swalwell · Last progress May 5, 2025
Creates new federal crimes for assaulting people the attacker knows (or should know) are journalists while they are conducting newsgathering or when the attack is intended to intimidate or impede newsgathering. The bill defines "journalist" and "newsgathering," borrows federal definitions of bodily and serious bodily injury, and sets penalties of fines or up to 3 years' imprisonment for causing bodily injury and up to 6 years for causing serious bodily injury.