Relating to the safety of persons in certain professions involved with the judicial system, including authorizing a judicial officer, attorney general, deputy attorney general, or assistant attorney general to be issued a professional permit to carry weapons, and establishing the criminal offenses of threatening and the malicious sharing of personal information of a judicial officer or a judicial officer’s immediate family, and providing penalties

This bill relates to the safety of persons in certain professions involved with the judicial system, including by authorizing a judicial officer, attorney general, deputy attorney general, and assistant attorney general to be issued a professional permit to carry weapons; and establishing the criminal offenses of threatening and the malicious sharing of personal information of a judicial officer or a member of the judicial officer’s immediate family. DIVISION I. The bill provides that a permit issued to a judicial officer, attorney general, deputy attorney general, or assistant attorney general grants authorization to go armed anywhere in the state at all times, including on the grounds of a school. The bill provides that a permit issued to a judicial officer, attorney general, deputy attorney general, or assistant attorney general is valid through the holder of the permit’s period of employment unless otherwise canceled. When the employment is terminated, the holder of the permit is required to surrender the permit to the issuing officer for cancellation. The bill defines “judicial officer” as a supreme court justice, a judge of the court of appeals, a district judge, a district associate judge, an associate juvenile judge, an associate probate judge, or a magistrate. The term also includes a person who is temporarily serving as a justice, judge, or magistrate as permitted by law. The bill allows the supreme court to impose additional training or other requirements on judicial officers who hold a permit issued under the bill. DIVISION II. _____ of a judicial officer. The bill prohibits a person from threatening a judicial officer or the immediate family member of a judicial officer with the intent to do any of the following: placing the judicial officer or the immediate family member of a judicial officer in fear of serious injury to the judicial officer or the immediate family member of the judicial officer; preventing or interrupting the ability of the judicial officer to carry out the judicial officer’s job duties; or retaliating against a judicial officer in relation to the performance of the judicial officer’s official duties during the judicial officer’s term of service. The bill defines “immediate family member” and “retaliation”. A person violating this division of the bill is guilty of a class “C” felony. A class “C” felony is punishable by confinement for no more than years and a fine of at least $1,370 but not more than $13,660. DIVISION III. The bill establishes the criminal offense of the malicious sharing of personal information of a judicial officer or an immediate family member of a judicial officer. The bill prohibits a person from sharing the personal information of a judicial officer or the immediate family member of a judicial officer with the intent to do any of the following: causing harm to the judicial officer or the immediate family member of a judicial officer; placing the judicial officer or the immediate family member of a judicial officer in fear of serious harm to the judicial officer or to an immediate family member of the judicial officer; or preventing or interrupting the ability to carry out the judicial officer’s job duties. The bill defines “personal information”. A person violating this division of the bill is guilty of a serious misdemeanor. A serious misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more than one year and a fine of at least $430 but not more than $2,560.