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Journalist Protection: New Penalties for Assault During Work

This act introduces new penalties for assaulting journalists who are gathering information or reporting on events. It aims to provide them with greater safety while performing their duties and protect press freedom. Citizens can expect journalists to be able to report more freely on public matters.
Key points
Establishes a new offense of assaulting a journalist, with penalties of up to 3 or 6 years in prison, depending on the severity of injuries.
Defines a journalist as an individual gathering and disseminating news or information in the public interest.
Penalties apply when the assault occurs while the journalist is working or is intended to intimidate them and impede newsgathering.
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Status: Introduced
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Additional Information
Print number: 119_HR_3203
Sponsor: Rep. Swalwell, Eric [D-CA-14]
Process start date: 2025-05-05
System Note: Lustra is free, publicly auditable civic infrastructure — full source code available on GitHub. You are reading sterilized legislative data, processed by our radical neutrality engine to strip political spin and retain factual mechanics. We process only official government data. Original documents remain the authoritative source—always verify them if you can.
Summarized by: gemini-2.5-flash-preview-05-20
Source data: api.congress.gov
AI work logs for this document launch

OFFICIAL LEGAL TITLE

Journalist Protection Act

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the official ID of this bill?

The official print number for this legislation is 119_HR_3203.

Which chamber initiated this legislation?

This legislation was initiated in the House of Representatives.

When did the legislative process begin?

The process officially started on 2025-05-05.

What are the main provisions?

Key points include:

  • Establishes a new offense of assaulting a journalist, with penalties of up to 3 or 6 years in prison, depending on the severity of injuries.
  • Defines a journalist as an individual gathering and disseminating news or information in the public interest.
  • Penalties apply when the assault occurs while the journalist is working or is intended to intimidate them and impede newsgathering.
What is the specific legal status?

The current status is Introduced.

Where can I read the full text of this legislation?

The full official text is available at: View full text

Who is the primary sponsor?

The primary sponsor is Rep. Swalwell, Eric [D-CA-14].

What is the latest detailed status?

The latest detailed status is: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Is this summary verified?

Yes. This content was analyzed by AI and verified by the Lustra Judge System on 2025-12-22.

What is the impact of this bill?

We don't know—that is up to you to decide. Summarizing raw data with AI is fundamentally different from predicting socio-economic outcomes. As of 2026, we believe impact assessment strictly requires a human in the loop to verify and judge.

CATEGORIES

Courts and Law Media and Culture Security