Relating to crimes against public justice, the official text

WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

         2026 REGULAR SESSION

                     Enrolled
            Committee Substitute

                         for

             Senate Bill 4

       BY SENATORS OLIVERIO, DEEDS, WOELFEL, THORNE,
          TAKUBO, WILLIS, WOODRUM, RUCKER, AND TARR
         [Passed March 14, 2026; in effect 90 days from
                        passage (June 12, 2026)]
    Enr CS for SB 4

1 AN ACT to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new section,

2   designated §61-5-30, relating to crimes against the public justice; defining terms; creating

3   a barrier around first responders; and creating criminal penalties.

    Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

    ARTICLE 5. CRIMES AGAINST THE PUBLIC JUSTICE.

    §61-5-30. Bystanders shall stand 30 feet back from first responders engaged in the lawful

    performance of their duties.

1   (a) As used in this section, the term:

2   "First responder" includes a law-enforcement officer as defined in §30-29-1 of this code,

3 a probation officer as described in §62-12-6 of this code, or a firefighter or emergency responder

4 as defined in §5H-1-2 of this code.

5   (b) It is unlawful for a person, after receiving a verbal warning to not approach from a

6 person he or she knows or reasonably should know is a first responder, who is engaged in the

7 lawful performance of a legal duty, to knowingly and willfully violate such warning and approach

8 or remain within 30 feet of the first responder acting in a way to:

9   (1) Impede or interfere with the first responder's ability to perform such duty; or

10  (2) Threaten or menace the first responder with physical harm.

11  (c) A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction

12 thereof, shall be fined not less than $50 nor more than $500 or confined in jail not more than one

13 year, or both fined and confined.

                                            1
Enr CS for SB 4
              The Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Delegates hereby

         certify that the foregoing bill is correctly enrolled.
         ...............................................................

                       Clerk of the Senate
                           ...............................................................
                               Clerk of the House of Delegates

         Originated in the Senate.
         In effect 90 days from passage.

                                       ...............................................................
                                                 President of the Senate
                                                           ...............................................................
                                                              Speaker of the House of Delegates
                                                        __________

              The within is ................................................ this the...........................................
         Day of ..........................................................................................................., 2026.

                                                                   .............................................................
                                                                                         Governor

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