Expansion of the Crime of Stalking (H 5655)

We opposed legislation which would expand the crime of stalking to include the act of following someone and using an electronic device to record their movements in a manner that is "seriously annoying." In our opposition, we noted the potential impacts this could have on citizen speech, as well as lawful news gathering activities. Specifically, we are concerned about how this will impact those news reporters who follow an elected official for comment, and members of the public who film the activities of police officers and their interactions with the public. This legislation died in committee.