Massachusetts HD 465: An Act ensuring the safety and dignity of first responders (Halo Act)

Bill Text

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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 465 FILED ON: 1/9/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2057

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:

NAME: DISTRICT/ADDRESS: DATE ADDED:
Steven George Xiarhos 5th Barnstable 1/9/2025
Steven J. Ouellette 8th Bristol 1/13/2025
Ryan C. Fattman Worcester and Hampden 1/25/2025
Marc T. Lombardo 22nd Middlesex 1/25/2025
Joseph D. McKenna 18th Worcester 2/11/2025
Michael J. Soter 8th Worcester 3/25/2025
Donald R. Berthiaume, Jr. 5th Worcester 3/25/2025
John J. Marsi 6th Worcester 3/25/2025
Kelly W. Pease 4th Hampden 3/25/2025
Kenneth P. Sweezey 6th Plymouth 3/25/2025
Michael O. Moore Second Worcester 3/25/2025
Hannah Kane 11th Worcester 4/4/2025
Bruce E. Tarr First Essex and Middlesex 4/4/2025
Donald H. Wong 9th Essex 4/4/2025
Steven S. Howitt 4th Bristol 4/4/2025
Marcus S. Vaughn 9th Norfolk 4/28/2025
Margaret R. Scarsdale 1st Middlesex 4/28/2025
Kelly A. Dooner Third Bristol and Plymouth 4/28/2025

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Patrick M. O'Connor First Plymouth and Norfolk 5/10/2025
James C. Arena-DeRosa 8th Middlesex 5/15/2025
Justin Thurber 5th Bristol 2/11/2026

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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 465 FILED ON: 1/9/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2057
By Representatives Xiarhos of Barnstable and Wells of Milton, a petition (accompanied by bill,
House, No. 2057) of Steven George Xiarhos, Steven J. Ouellette and others for legislation to
establish penalties for the intent to impede or interfere, threaten or harass first responders
performing such duties. The Judiciary.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________
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:

1 SECTION ONE. Chapter 271 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the
2 following section:-
3 Section 52. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following
4 meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:-
5 “First responder”, shall include any law enforcement officer, a paid, call, reserve or
6 volunteer firefighter, a paid, call, reserve or volunteer emergency medical technician, or any
7 other person whose usual and regular duties include rendering assistance at the scene of a crime,
8 accident or other emergency.
9 “Harass”, means to willfully engage in a course of conduct directed at a first responder
10 which intentionally causes substantial emotional distress in that first responder and serves no
11 legitimate purpose.

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12 (b) No person, after receiving a verbal warning not to approach from a person he or she
13 knows or reasonably should know is a first responder and who is engaged in the lawful
14 performance of a legal duty, shall knowingly and willfully violate such warning and approach or
15 remain within 25 feet of the first responder with the intent to impede or interfere with the first
16 responder’s ability to perform such duty, threaten the first responder with physical harm, or
17 harass the first responder.
18 (c) Any violation of this section shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000 for
19 the first offense, and for each and every subsequent offense, by a fine or not more than $5,000 or
20 imprisonment not exceeding one year, or both.