The Arizona story is fake news and does basically nothing that you can't already find in our federal code. Knowing WaPo's history, I'd imagine that many of those others are similar deals. "Certain protest tactics", lmao. Kind of like child rape is a "certain sexual expression".
EDIT:
Arizona’s bill,
introduced this week, would open up protests to anti-racketeering legislation, targeting protesters with the same laws used to combat organized crime syndicates. It would also allow police to seize the assets of anyone involved in a protest that at some point becomes violent. It recently passed the state Senate on a party-line vote and is now before the House.
This is a literal lie. It does not target anyone at a protest that becomes violent. It targets anyone that attends a protest with knowledge and support of criminal acts to be carried out.
A
bill under consideration in Colorado would strengthen penalties for “tampering” with oil and gas equipment. It’s intended to
prevent activists from shutting off pipelines, a tactic that’s been used in other states.
Well gee, I guess they should just let people shut off pipelines if they so desire.
A
bill introduced by Republican George Gainer in the Florida Senate this month would provide criminal penalties for protesters obstructing traffic and exempt drivers from liability if they struck a protester under certain conditions. It was filed this week, and if enacted would take force on July 1.
Good, obstructing traffic is illegal, and a person that unintentionally hits someone obstructing traffic should not be held liable.
A
"Back the Badge" bill recently passed by the Georgia Senate
increases penalties for blocking "any highway, street, sidewalk or other public passage." The bill is sponsored by six Republican senators.
This one is maybe a bit ambiguous since it refers to said blocking as "inconveniencing" and puts a lot of power in officers' judgment. This one may be legitimately bad.
A
bill supported by nine Republican sponsors would make protesters who intentionally block highways subject to felony charges and up to five years in prison. The bill’s lead sponsor told the Des Moines Register it was introduced in response to a November incident in which a protest Trump shut down part of Interstate 80 in Iowa.
A bit excessive possibly since it's not referring to blocking that causes explicit hazard, but whatever.
An Indiana Senate committee
recently toned down a bill that would have allowed police to shut down highway protests using “any means necessary.” The current version allows police to issue fines for such behavior.
Overly vague bill corrected. Life goes on.
A
Michigan bill voted on late last year would have increased fines for certain “mass picketing” behavior, and made it easier for courts to shut down such demonstrations.
No link to the bill. If it does attack "mass picketing" in general, that sounds blatantly unconstitutional. If it refers to "mass picketing" that becomes violent or obstructs traffic illegally, good.
Bills
under consideration in Minnesota would increase fines for protesters blocking highways and airports. A separate measure before the legislature would
make it possible for jurisdictions to charge protesters for the costs of policing the protests.
Good.
A Republican lawmaker has
introduced legislation that would make it illegal for protesters to wear masks, robes or other disguises during protests deemed to be illegal.
Obviously intended to go after ANTIFA. Not sure about this one though, simply wearing a mask doesn't imply criminal behavior (see all the Guy Fawkes Anonymous fellows a decade back). Don't like it, but not sure that this is any different (let alone worse) than laws already prohibiting people from wearing gas masks or bullet proof vests.
A
bill before the Mississippi legislature would make obstruction of traffic a felony punishable by a $10,000 fine and a five-year prison sentence.
Again, probably excessive but I have a hard time caring.
A North Carolina Republican
has pledged to introduce legislation making it a crime to “threaten, intimidate or retaliate against” current or former state officials, in response to an incident involving the heckling of Gov. Pat McCrory. The Senator proposing the legislation, Dan Bishop, confirmed via email that he still intends to introduce the legislation, perhaps as early as next week, after consulting with potential co-sponsors.
Based on the context, this one sounds horrible and blatantly unconstitutional. North Carolina doesn't have such a good record on these things.
A number of North Dakota bills have been introduced in response to the long-standing protests there against the Dakota Access Pipeline. The measure that drew the most attention was a bill that would have removed penalties for motorists who
strike protesters with their car in some circumstances. That bill
failed to make it out of the House, but
a number of other measures increasing penalties for certain types of protest action are advancing through the legislature.
See Georgia.
Inspired by pipeline protests in North Dakota, the Oklahoma legislature is
considering a bill that would increase penalties for trespassing on certain pieces of “critical infrastructure” like pipelines and railways.
Good.
A
novel piece of legislation in Oregon would require public community colleges and universities to expel any student convicted of participating in a violent riot.
Do laws like this exist for other criminal behaviors? Doesn't necessarily sound bad.
A Senate panel in South Dakota
recently approved a bill that would increase penalties for certain acts of trespassing and blocking highways. It’s a response to pipeline protests in North Dakota, and to the potential for similar protests in South Dakota if the Keystone XL pipeline gets built.
Good.
A Tennessee Republican wants
drivers to be protected from liability if they inadvertently strike a protester who is blocking a roadway.
Good.
A
Virginia bill that would have increased penalties for people who refused to leave the scene of a riot or unlawful protest died in the state Senate last month. The bill had been requested by law enforcement.
Good.
Washington lawmakers are
considering a bill to increase penalties for people blocking highways and railways, acts that the bill's sponsor has characterized as “
economic terrorism.”
Like the others, making it a felony is probably excessive.
Overall, a few shady and bad laws that will hopefully not be passed, mostly fear-mongering as typical by WaPo.
