Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Passport
  • Support WSKG
Donate
  • Donate
  • logo
  • logo
  • Donate
  • Home
  • News
  • TV
  • Radio
  • Schedules
  • Events
  • Arts
  • Education
  • History
  • Science
  • Donate
  • More
    • About
    • Contact Us
    • Passport
    • Support WSKG

WSKG - Local news and arts, broadcasting NPR radio and PBS TV.

WSKG thanks our sponsors...
  • Donate your vehicle to support WSKG

WSKG (https://wskg.org/news/broome-county-passes-annoyance-law/)

  • Donate
  • Home
  • News
  • TV
  • Radio
  • Schedules
  • Events
  • Arts
  • Education
  • History
  • Science
Listen Live WSKG
Listen Live WSKG Classical

Watch Live WSKG TV
Watch Live PBS Kids
Learn at Home
Covid-19 information

Broome County Passes “Annoyance Law”

By Gabe Altieri | December 19, 2019
More
  • More on Annoyance law
  • Subscribe to Annoyance law

BINGHAMTON, NY (WSKG) – The Broome County Legislature passed a resolution Thursday that supporters say protects emergency first responders, but opponents worry will lead to abuse by law enforcement.

Protestors hold signs during Thursdays meeting of the Broome County Legislature. (Gabe Altieri/WSKG)

It’s officially called the Emergency First Responders Protection Act of 2019, but is known derisively as an annoyance law. It allows police to arrest anyone who harasses emergency first responders. Violators could face up to a year in prison, a $5,000 fine or both.

The definition of harassment is what’s at issue.

An earlier version of the resolution defined harassment as annoying, alarming or threatening an emergency first responder. That was amended in November to define harassment as what’s already listed under New York State penal law.

If that harassment is already detailed in state law, Democratic Legislator Kim Myers wonders why it’s necessary. “What is the issue, the problem?” she asked. “And what is this law attempting to solve?”

Myers and other Democrats on the legislature tried to abstain from Thursday’s vote. They said they took an oath to protect the constitution and are not sure this law is constitutional.

Broome County Attorney Robert Behnke countered that if legislators feel the resolution is unconstitutional, they can vote “no”.

The decision on whether to allow the abstentions was brought before the full legislature. They were denied and each recorded as “no”. The resolution passed 10-4 along party lines, with each abstention counting as a no-vote. One legislator, Democrat Mary Kaminsky, was absent.

Broome County Legislative Chair Dan Reynolds. (Gabe Altieri/WSKG)

During last month’s Broome Legislative meeting, protests over the measure led to several arrests. Fewer protestors were at this months meeting, but they expressed the same concerns. They’re worry the law is ripe for abuse by law enforcement.

“It’s never been the intent to try and do that,” countered Republican Legislative Chair Dan Reynolds. “And if somebody used this law here locally to try and silence somebody’s free speech, I’d hope they’d take them to court over it and I’d hope, if the municipality or somebody else did that, I’d hope they’d lose.” Reynolds added that the intent is to help first responders do their job in an unimpeded manner.

The resolution has the support of several law enforcement, firefighter and emergency response groups in Broome County. A similar resolution recently passed in Monroe County, but Reynolds claims there was no influence from outside of Broome County on how the local bill is written.

Broome County Executive Jason Garnar will now hold a public hearing on the resolution and then the Democrat will decide on whether it should become law. However, even if Garner vetoes it, Republicans hold a veto-proof majority on the legislature.

Recent Posts

  • Funding Hold Up Threatens New York’s Progress Against AIDS

    BINGHAMTON, NY (WSKG) — 2020 was the year of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it was also the target for New York to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Ending it meant fewer than 750 infections per year.

  • More Security At New York’s Capitol, Although No ‘Specific Threat’

    ASSOCIATED PRESS - Security was tightened around the New York state Capitol on Thursday and law enforcement officials around the state were focusing on potential threats, even as they continued to track down people involved in last week's mob attack on the U.S. Congress. The  FBI warned  several days ago that armed protests by violent Trump supporters were being planned in all 50 state capitals in the days leading up to the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden.

  • Vaccine Sign-Up Confusion Continues, Appointments Booked Through April

    ALBANY, NY (WSKG) - One day after announcing that five new state-run vaccination sites are opening this week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office is warning that appointments for the limited number of vaccines at those sites are already booked through April. On Wednesday, Cuomo’s office announced that large-scale vaccination sites at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City, the Westchester County Center, the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, State University of New York at Albany and Jones Beach are opening this week and will vaccinate thousands of New Yorkers in the coming months.

  • Rollout Of COVID-19 Vaccines In Rural PA Requires Flexibility And Trust From Communities

    STATE COLLEGE, PA (WPSU) — As the general public awaits COVID-19 vaccination across the country and in Pennsylvania, questions remain about how vaccines will reach rural communities and how accepting of the remedy rural residents will be. During a public hearing held by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania Wednesday, Dr. George Garrow, Chief Medical Officer of Primary Health Network, which has dozens of community health centers in central and western Pennsylvania, said adapting vaccine delivery for rural communities is key.

  • Rookie Lawmaker Liked New York’s State of State Address, But Wants Details

    TOMPKINS COUNTY, NY (WSKG) - Freshman New York State Assemblymember Anna Kelles was pleased with most of what she heard in Governor Andrew Cuomo’s State of the State speeches this week. The speech occurs every year at the beginning of the legislative session and lays out the governor’s legislative priorities.

WSKG thanks our sponsors...

About WSKG

WSKG connects you to local and global news and the arts online, on the radio, and on TV. NPR and PBS affiliate.

Contact Us

email: WSKGcomment@wskg.org

phone: 607.729.0100

address: 601 Gates Road, Vestal, NY 13850

DONATE

Pay an underwriting invoice

  • WSKG
  • Arts
  • Education
  • Science
  • News
  • Radio
  • Schedule
  • TV
  • About
  • WSKG Staff
  • Contact Us
  • Jobs
  • Public Reports & Policies
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)
  • Protect My Public Media
FCC PUBLIC FILES
WSKG-FM
WSQX-FM
WSQG-FM
WSQE
WSQA
WSQC-FM
WSQN
WSKG-TV
WSKA
Disabled and need assistance with the online FCC public file?
Contact Gregory Keeler
WSKG
601 Gates Road
Vestal, New York 13850
607-729-0100
gkeeler@wskg.org

Stay Connected

Like Us on FacebookFollow Us on TwitterFollow Us on YouTubeFollow Us on InstagramSubscribe via RSS

© Copyright 2021, WSKG

Built with the Largo WordPress Theme from the Institute for Nonprofit News.

Back to top ↑

Change Location
To find awesome listings near you!