I am writing to you today to ask you to oppose AB279/SB296, the anti-protest bill, being referred to as the Riot Bill.
This bill is unconstitutional and would undermine the freedom to protest. Under this bill, a large street protest where a single participant threatens to push somebody could be deemed a "riot," with no actual violence or property damage being committed by anyone. This means someone attending a protest could be punished for what someone else there said or did. This is unfair and an entire group of people could end up punished for the actions of one person who may not even be affiliated with the group or cause.
Additionally, the punishments proposed are severe. Under the bill, anyone who attends a "riot" or refuses an order to disperse a "riot" commits a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by a mandatory 30 days and up to 9 months in jail and a $10,000 fine. If the "riot" results in "substantial" property damage or injury, anyone who attends commits a Class I felony, publishable by up to 3 and a half years in prison. These punishments could be given regardless of whether or not you did anything wrong.
We don’t need to be turning peaceful protesters into felons. The vague language in the bill, like “incite” and “urge” means the law could be interpreted differently and applied unfairly. The concern that someone may be charged under this bill could result in a ‘chilling effect’ with people being too scared to attend demonstrations or other acts protected under the First Amendment.
I urge you to oppose this bill and look forward to hearing from you.
