OHIO — People will now face harsher penalties for obstructing, harassing, or impeding the work of first responders.
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Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 20 into law on Tuesday.
The legislation aims to create a safer environment for victims or patients and for the first responders who show up to help.
It creates the criminal offense of harassing a first responder.
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It elevates obstructing official business to a first-degree misdemeanor and establishes a 15-foot safety zone around active emergencies.
If, after a warning, someone breaks that 15-foot bubble, the law calls for people to be arrested.
They would face a first-degree misdemeanor charge of obstruction of official business.
If your actions put the responder in danger of physical harm, it is upgraded to a fourth-degree felony.
The law will become officially enforceable in October 2026.
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