An Act ensuring the safety and dignity of first responders (Halo Act)
Generates a plain-language summary of the bill text and history.
| Date | Branch | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 3/26/2026 | House | Accompanied a study order, see H5281↗ (under House Rule 27) |
| — | House | Reported by committee to Clerk’s Office for processing, will accompany a study order |
| 9/16/2025 | Joint | Hearing scheduled for 09/23/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-2 |
| 2/27/2025 | Senate | Senate concurred |
| 2/27/2025 | House | Referred to the committee on The Judiciary |
| Committee | Recommendation | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| J19 | Accompanied | — |
SECTION ONE. Chapter 271 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-
(a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:- “First responder”, shall include any law enforcement officer, a paid, call, reserve or volunteer firefighter, a paid, call, reserve or volunteer emergency medical technician, or any other person whose usual and regular duties include rendering assistance at the scene of a crime, accident or other emergency. “Harass”, means to willfully engage in a course of conduct directed at a first responder which intentionally causes substantial emotional distress in that first responder and serves no legitimate purpose. (b) No person, after receiving a verbal warning not to approach from a person he or she knows or reasonably should know is a first responder and who is engaged in the lawful performance of a legal duty, shall knowingly and willfully violate such warning and approach or remain within 25 feet of the first responder with the intent to impede or interfere with the first responder’s ability to perform such duty, threaten the first responder with physical harm, or harass the first responder. (c) Any violation of this section shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000 for the first offense, and for each and every subsequent offense, by a fine or not more than $5,000 or imprisonment not exceeding one year, or both.
SECTION ONE. Chapter 271 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:- Section 52. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:- “First responder”, shall include any law enforcement officer, a paid, call, reserve or volunteer firefighter, a paid, call, reserve or volunteer emergency medical technician, or any other person whose usual and regular duties include rendering assistance at the scene of a crime, accident or other emergency. “Harass”, means to willfully engage in a course of conduct directed at a first responder which intentionally causes substantial emotional distress in that first responder and serves no legitimate purpose. (b) No person, after receiving a verbal warning not to approach from a person he or she knows or reasonably should know is a first responder and who is engaged in the lawful performance of a legal duty, shall knowingly and willfully violate such warning and approach or remain within 25 feet of the first responder with the intent to impede or interfere with the first responder’s ability to perform such duty, threaten the first responder with physical harm, or harass the first responder. (c) Any violation of this section shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000 for the first offense, and for each and every subsequent offense, by a fine or not more than $5,000 or imprisonment not exceeding one year, or both.