The US Protest Law Tracker follows state and federal legislation introduced since January 2017 that restricts the right to peaceful assembly. For more information, visit our Analysis of US Anti-Protest Bills page.
Latest updates: Apr. 15, 2024 (Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana), Apr. 3, 2024 (Arizona), Mar. 27, 2024 (West Virginia)
7 entries matching in provided filters in 1 states. Clear all filters
Indiana
SB 471: New penalties for protests near critical infrastructure
Heightens the potential penalties for protests near oil and gas pipelines and other infrastructure by creating the offenses of "criminal infrastructure facility trespass" and "critical infrastructure facility mischief." The law provides that an individual who knowingly enters a critical infrastructure facility without permission commits critical infrastructure facility trespass, a Level 6 felony punishable by up to 30 months in prison. Under the law, recklessly or knowingly defacing such a facility constitutes critical infrastructure facility mischief, punishable by up to six years in prison as a Level 5 felony. In either case, the individual may additionally be liable to the property owner for damages, costs, and attorney's fees. An individual found to have conspired with someone who commits either offense may also be liable for a fine of $100,000. The law newly defines "critical infrastructure facility" under Indiana law to include a range of oil, gas, electric, water, telecommunications, and railroad facilities, as well as any "facility that is substantially similar" to one of the listed facilities. (See full text of bill here)
Status: enacted
Introduced 14 Jan 2019; Approved by Senate 7 Feb 2019; Approved by House 25 March 2019; Signed by Governor Holcomb on 6 May 2019
Issue(s): Conspiracy, Infrastructure
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Indiana
HB 1205: Expanded definition of "riot" and host of new criminal penalties for protesters
Would broaden the definition of "riot" and raise the penalty for riot in certain circumstances. Indiana law defines "rioting" as engaging in "tumultuous conduct" while a member of an "unlawful assembly." The bill expands the definition of "unlawful assembly," to require only 3 people engaged in "tumultuous conduct." The bill also amends the definition of "tumultuous conduct" to include conduct that results or is likely to result in the "obstruction of law enforcement or other governmental function." As a result of these changes, someone in a 3-person, peaceful protest whose conduct is deemed "likely" to interfere with a government hearing, for instance, could be covered by the resulting "riot" statute. The bill also heightens the penalty for "riot" from a Class A misdemeanor to a Level 6 felony, punishable by up to 2.5 years in prison and a $10,000 fine, if committed by a person wearing a mask (such as a medical mask) or other face covering. The bill requires a mandatory 30-day sentence and restitution as penalties for all riot offenses. The bill heightens the penalty for "disorderly conduct," a broadly defined offense that includes making "unreasonable noise," if committed by a person in the same area as a "lawful or unlawful demonstration, protest, or assembly." The offense would be a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail. The bill would heighten the penalty for a person who damages or "defaces" property, as well, from a Class B misdemeanor to a Level 6 felony if committed by someone in the same "area" as a demonstration or protest. "Defaces" is not defined, and could include chalk and other temporary markings applied in the course of a protest. The bill also bars 24-hour protests on the grounds outside the state capitol, by making it a class A misdemeanor to"camp" in a number of places around the capitol building after being informed that camping is not allowed, either by signage or in person. "Camping" is defined as conduct between 10pm and 7am that includes laying down a blanket or using a piece of furniture. The bill would allow the state to seize any property that was used "to finance or facilitate the financing of a crime committed by a person while in an area where a lawful or unlawful demonstration, protest, or assembly was taking place." Finally, the bill would newly allow tort claims against government entities and officials for the failure to enforce the law "in connection with an unlawful assembly," if the failure constitutes "gross negligence"; provisions that, if enacted, could encourage municipal and other local governments to adopt overly aggressive law enforcement responses to protests in order to avoid lawsuits. (See full text of bill here)
Status: defeated / expired
Introduced 14 Jan 2021.
Issue(s): Damage Costs, Riot, Camping, State Liability
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Indiana
SB 198: New penalties for funding protests, failing to leave an "unlawful assembly," and violating protest-related curfew
Would create a new Class A misdemeanor, "financing an unlawful assembly," punishable by up to one year in jail, for a person who gives funding or "anything of value" to another person, knowing that they intend to commit an offense while part of an "unlawful assembly" and intending to aid them. The offense is a Level 6 felony if the person provides funding for five or more people, and a Level 5 felony if the person provides funding for 10 or more people. Indiana law broadly defines "unlawful assembly" as an assembly of five or more persons whose common object is to commit an unlawful act, or a lawful act by unlawful means. A donor who provides funding or supplies to a group knowing that they intend to commit civil disobedience as part of an "unlawful assembly," could face felony charges and up to six years in prison. The bill also authorizes the government to seize property that is used to finance or "facilitate" the financing of a crime committed by a person while part of an "unlawful assembly." The bill creates a new Class B misdemeanor offense, "enabling riot," for anyone who is present during the commission of a felony by a participant in an "unlawful assembly," and who knows that the participant is committing a criminal offense, and fails to "immediately" either leave the location or report the offense to law enforcement. A journalist, for instance, who stays at the scene of a protest that is deemed an "unlawful assembly," and does not immediately report unlawful behavior could face six months in jail for "enabling riot." The bill newly authorizes the head of a county or city to declare a curfew upon receiving information about the "likelihood" of a "riot" or "unlawful assembly," and creates a new Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail, for failure to abide by curfew orders. The bill expands the attorney general's concurrent jurisdiction with the prosecuting attorney to include prosecutions of any "criminal offense" committed by members of an "unlawful assembly." As a result, the Indiana attorney general would be able to bring charges against protesters if the relevant local prosecutor declined to do so. (See full text of bill here)
Status: defeated / expired
Introduced 12 Jan 2021; Approved by Senate 16 February 2021
Issue(s): Conspiracy, Riot
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Indiana
SB 96: Expanded definition of "riot" and ban on protest camps on state property
Would redefine "rioting" as three or more people who "recklessly, knowingly, or intentionally" engage in "tumultuous" conduct, punishable by a minimum of 30 days in jail and up to one year in prison. "Tumultuous" conduct includes conduct that obstructs law enforcement or other governmental functions, or that is likely to result in substantial damage to property or bodily injury. The offense does not require actual property damage or violence, and could cover a small peaceful group of protesters that momentarily blocks a government vehicle. The bill also makes it a class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail, to "camp" in a number of places around the state capitol building after being informed that camping is not allowed, either by signage or in person. Camping is defined as conduct between 10pm and 7am that includes laying down a blanket or placing a piece of furniture on state property. (See full text of bill here)
Status: defeated / expired
Introduced 7 Jan 2021; Withdrawn on 25 January 2021
Issue(s): Riot, Traffic Interference, Camping
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Indiana
SB 34: New penalties for unpermitted protests that block traffic, unlawful assemblies, and "riot" offenses
Would increase the penalty for obstructing pedestrian or vehicular traffic to a level 5 felony, punishable by up to six years in prison, if committed by "a person participating in a protest or demonstration" that is not authorized by a permit. The bill also newly penalizes as a class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to 1 year in jail, participants in an unlawful assembly in a place of public accommodation who make unreasonable noise and continue to do so after being asked to stop, or who disrupt a lawful gathering of persons. The bill enables the government to seize any "real or personal property" that is used to finance or facilitate a crime "including minor violations" committed by a person who is part of an unlawful assembly. It strips immunity from government officials who "fail to enforce the law in connection with an unlawful assembly, if the failure to enforce the law constitutes gross negligence," opening up government officials to civil suits if they do not aggressively police protests. The bill bans a person convicted of rioting from holding state government employment, including elected office, and bars a person convicted of rioting from receiving a broad range of state and local benefits, including healthcare and educational benefits. Rioting in Indiana is defined broadly as a person who, as part of an unlawful assembly, recklessly, knowingly, or intentionally engages in "tumultuous" conduct. (See full text of bill here)
Status: defeated / expired
Introduced 4 Jan 2021.
Issue(s): Riot, Traffic Interference, State Liability, Limit on Public Benefits
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Indiana
SB 78: Increased penalties for protesters who conceal their identity
Would enhance the penalty for a person who commits a "public order offense" while wearing a mask. Public order offenses include disorderly conduct, unlawful assembly, and rioting--generally all misdemeanors. The bill provides that if a person committed such an offense, the prosecutor may seek an additional prison term of up to 30 months if the state can prove that the person intentionally concealed their identity by wearing mask or other face covering. The same bill was initially introduced in January 2018 as SB 73. (See full text of bill here)
Status: defeated / expired
Introduced 3 Jan 2019.
Issue(s): Face Covering, Riot
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Indiana
SB 285: Heightened police response to protests that block traffic
As introduced, the bill would have allowed law enforcement officials to use "any means necessary" to break up public assemblies that obstructed traffic. The bill defines "mass traffic obstruction" as an obstruction of street or highway traffic by at least 10 people as part or result of a protest, riot, or other assembly. It provides that public officials were obliged within 15 minutes of learning of a mass traffic obstruction to dispatch all available law enforcement with directions to "use any means necessary" to clear the roads of the persons obstructing traffic. After extensive committee amendments softening the bill, the Indiana Senate voted on February 27, 2017 effectively to vacate it and instead create a study committee to examine what constitutes a "reasonable response" to mass traffic obstruction. (See full text of bill here)
Status: defeated / expired
Introduced 9 Jan 2017; Amended in committee 23 Feb 2017; Effectively vacated 27 Feb 2017
Issue(s): Police Response, Traffic Interference
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