WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA) introduced today the Emergency Services Access Act, which makes blocking an ambulance from accessing a hospital or rendering emergency medical treatment a federal crime.
Violators would face up to 5 years in prison, fines, or both. If death results, violators would face imprisonment terms comparable to a first or second-degree murder charge.
The bill is in direct response to anti-police demonstrators who intentionally blocked hospital entrances after an assassination attempt on two Los Angeles sheriff’s deputies last weekend.
Read the bill here.
Congressman Higgins issued the following statement:
“I have zero tolerance for the type of behavior that was demonstrated in Los Angeles. The so-called protestors who blocked an ambulance and wished death upon the deputies should be charged criminally. Their actions are pure evil. The obstruction of roadways and blocking of emergency vehicles is not peaceable assembly. First responders don’t have time to waste, and a clear path of transit can mean the difference between life and death. Our legislation makes it 100% clear that this behavior is criminal and will be met with harsh penalty.”
