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To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide a penalty for assault against journalists, and for other purposes.
Summary
This bill creates new federal criminal penalties for assaulting journalists. It defines a journalist as someone employed by or contracting with a news organization who gathers and reports on matters of public interest. The bill makes it a federal crime to commit assault causing bodily injury to a journalist either while they are reporting or with the intent to intimidate or impede their reporting, punishable by up to 3 years imprisonment. Assault causing serious bodily injury carries a penalty of up to 6 years. The perpetrator must know or have reason to know the target is a journalist.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
1 cosponsor
Actions (2)
- May 5, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. · house
- May 5, 2025 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
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Text versions (1)
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Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 5, 2025
Mr. Swalwell (for himself and Ms. Norton) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide a penalty for assault against journalists, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Journalist Protection Act”.
SEC. 2. ASSAULT AGAINST JOURNALISTS.
(a) In General.—Chapter 7 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: “Sec. 120. Assault against journalists
“(a) Definitions.—In this section:
“(1) Bodily injury; serious bodily injury.—The terms ‘bodily injury’ and ‘serious bodily injury’ have the meanings given those terms in section 1365(h).
“(2) Journalist.—The term ‘journalist’ means an individual who—
“(A) is an employee, independent contractor, or agent of an entity or service that disseminates news or information—
“(i) by means of a newspaper, nonfiction book, wire service, news agency, news website, mobile application or other news or information service (whether distributed digitally or otherwise), news program, magazine, or other periodical (whether in print, electronic, or other format); or
“(ii) through a television broadcast, radio broadcast, multichannel video programming distributor (as defined in section 602 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 522)), or motion picture for public showing; and
“(B) engages in newsgathering with the primary intent to investigate an event or procure material in order to disseminate to the public news or information concerning a local, national, or international event or other matter of public interest.
“(3) Newsgathering.—The term ‘newsgathering’ means engaging in regular gathering, preparation, collection, photographing, recording, writing, editing, reporting, or publishing concerning a local, national, or international event or other matter of public interest.
“(b) Prohibited Conduct.—Whoever, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, intentionally commits, or attempts to commit—
“(1) an act described in subsection (c) shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 3 years, or both; or
“(2) an act described in subsection (d) shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 6 years, or both.
“(c) Bodily Injury to a Journalist.—An act described in this subsection is an act—
“(1) that causes bodily injury to an individual who is a journalist;
“(2) committed with knowledge or reason to know the individual is a journalist; and
“(3) committed—
“(A) while the journalist is taking part in newsgathering; or
“(B) with the intention of intimidating or impeding newsgathering by the journalist.
“(d) Serious Bodily Injury to a Journalist.—An act described in this subsection is an act—
“(1) that causes serious bodily injury to an individual who is a journalist;
“(2) committed with knowledge or reason to know the individual is a journalist; and
“(3) committed—
“(A) while the journalist is taking part in newsgathering; or
“(B) with the intention of intimidating or impeding newsgathering by the journalist.”.
(b) Clerical Amendment.—The table of sections for chapter 7 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
“120. Assault against journalists.”. <all>
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