The House clears a bill allowing the arrest of protesters who disrupted legislative proceedings.

House Bill 399 makes interfering with legislative proceeding.

A criminal offense punishable by up to one year in jail for the first offense 5 for the 3rd offense.

It is in response to 2023 protests during the House's deliberation on a bill banning gender affirming care for minors.

Opponents of House Bill 399.

Say it infringes on First Amendment rights.

The sponsor of the bill says it's needed to ensure lawmakers are able to get their work done.

>> Each one of us represents 45,000 plus or minus people.

We're the voice of our constituents and whether I agree with the argument or not, you have that rot.

>> To represent your constituents and be their voice.

>> On that topic.

But that day that didn't happen because of what occurred in the gallery.

I am a staunch advocate of the First Amendment.

I think it's one of our best and strongest amendments that we have in our Constitution.

It is as American as it gets.

He's been able to have a voice.

Amongst our government.

But when you take that and you prevent a legislative body from doing its work.

You cross a line.

Were sent here to do the work of the people and we should be able to do so.

>> My very first year on this House floor was in 2023.

And I sat over there on the other side of this House floor and I was one of the people who stood up to make comments as we had a gallery full of people who are using their voice.

And yeah, it was disruptive.

It was disruptive in the best way possible because we have people showing up.

To this building that we have the privilege to stand in every day and make laws that affect people's lives.

This is not a Friday night game of Monopoly is what I like to remind people.

These are people's lives.

We are dealing with.

And there are consequences and we have people that cared enough to come and exercise their rights and their voices.

We should not be afraid of that.

The bill does not prohibit assembly in the Capitol Rotunda or on the grounds of the