National Guard Protective Zone Act

This bill, known as the National Guard Protective Zone Act , amends title 18 of the United States Code to establish criminal penalties for interfering with members of the National Guard. It defines a "posted protective zone" as an area with a perimeter of not more than 15 feet around a National Guard member, which must be clearly marked by verbal warning, signage, or other reasonable means. The bill makes it unlawful for any person to knowingly enter or remain within such a zone during an authorized deployment with the intent to impede, intimidate, or interfere with the official duties of a National Guard member. Violators of this provision face penalties including fines, imprisonment for up to 1 year , or both. An aggravated penalty applies if the person makes physical contact with, throws an object at, or spits on a National Guard member, increasing the maximum imprisonment to 5 years . The bill also includes a rule of construction clarifying that it does not prohibit activities protected by the First Amendment conducted outside a posted protective zone.