Sponsors (6)
The bill strengthens penalties and prosecutorial/sentencing tools to protect court access and safety, but does so at the cost of greater criminal exposure and chilling risk for protesters, potential disparate enforcement against marginalized groups, and higher incarceration costs for taxpayers.
Court personnel, jurors, and law-enforcement: increased maximum penalties for obstruction of court functions that may deter obstructive picketing or other conduct that impedes court access and juror safety.
Department of Justice and federal courts: expanded sentencing authority so prosecutors and judges can seek or impose stiffer penalties for serious interference with court operations when warranted.
People who protest, picket, or parade near courthouses (and taxpayers): substantially higher maximum sentences increase criminal exposure for participants and may chill lawful protest and free-speech activity near courts.
Marginalized groups (including people with disabilities): expanded discretion to impose longer sentences risks disproportionate enforcement and unequal impacts on populations more likely to be arrested at demonstrations.
Taxpayers: longer potential prison terms could increase the incarcerated population or average time served, raising government correctional costs if convictions or sentence lengths rise.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Increases the maximum federal prison term for obstructive picketing/parading near judges or court proceedings from 1 year to 5 years.
Increases the maximum federal prison term for the existing offense that prohibits obstructive picketing or parading near a judge, juror, witness, or court proceeding from one year to five years. It also includes a clause establishing a short title for the Act. The change raises the criminal penalty for that specified form of obstruction of justice but does not authorize new funding or specify an effective date.
Introduced February 4, 2025 by Marsha Blackburn · Last progress February 4, 2025