Establishes the crime of interference with first responders; creates a fifteen foot buffer zone around first responders engaged in the performance of their official duties.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
10621
IN ASSEMBLY
March 13, 2026
___________
Introduced by M. of A. O'PHARROW -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to establishing a fifteen-
foot safety buffer zone around first responders engaged in the
performance of their official duties
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The penal law is amended by adding a new section 240.80 to
2 read as follows:
3 § 240.80 Interference with first responders; safety buffer zone.
4 1. A person is guilty of interference with first responders when such
5 person:
6 (a) knowingly approaches or remains within the fifteen-foot safety
7 buffer zone surrounding a first responder engaged in the lawful perform-
8 ance of official duties;
9 (b) has been given a verbal warning by the first responder to remain
10 outside of the safety buffer zone; and
11 (c) knowingly and willfully fails to comply with such warning and
12 remains within or approaches the safety buffer zone with intent to
13 impede, threaten, harass, or otherwise interfere with the performance of
14 such first responder's duties.
15 2. For the purposes of this section:
16 (a) "First responder" shall mean a police officer, peace officer,
17 firefighter, emergency medical technician, paramedic, or other emergency
18 medical services provider engaged in the lawful performance of official
19 duties.
20 (b) "Safety buffer zone" shall mean an area within fifteen feet of a
21 first responder engaged in the lawful performance of such duties.
22 3. Nothing in this section shall be construed to:
23 (a) prohibit or restrict the lawful recording, photographing, or
24 observing of first responders, provided that such activity occurs
25 outside the fifteen-foot safety buffer zone and does not otherwise
26 interfere with official duties; or
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15214-01-6
A. 10621 2
1 (b) apply to a person seeking emergency assistance, providing aid, or
2 otherwise complying with lawful instructions from a first responder.
3 Interference with first responders is a class B misdemeanor.
4 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
5 have become a law.
