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New York's Nassau County seeks to ban standing within 15 feet of cops under bill panned as unconstitutional

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New York's Nassau County seeks to ban standing within 15 feet of cops under bill panned as unconstitutional

Lawmakers in Nassau County, New York, are pushing a measure to make it illegal to stand within 15 feet of police officers or other first responders during an emergency, although critics of the proposal argue that it is unconstitutional.

People who enter the “buffer zone” for first responders during an emergency would face a misdemeanor charge and a $1,000 fine along with the possibility of up to a year behind bars, according to the bill introduced by the county Board of Legislators.

The measure seeks to protect first responders from “threats, harassment, and physical interference,” lawmakers say.

“It is important that first responders are not obstructed during emergency situations and that our frontline heroes are allowed to engage in the lifesaving actions they are trained to perform without distractions,” legislator John Ferretti, a Republican, told the New York Post.

NEW YORK PROPOSAL WOULD BAN POLICE FROM MAKING TRAFFIC STOPS FOR MINOR VIOLATIONS TO PURSUE ‘RACIAL EQUITY’

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Lawmakers in Nassau County, New York, are pushing a measure to make it illegal to stand within 15 feet of first responders during an emergency. (Howard Schnapp/Newsday RM)

State law already subjects people who interfere with first responders to up to a year in jail, three years of probation or a $1,000 fine.

The new bill was introduced by Republicans but has garnered support from some Democrats, according to the newspaper.

“Our cops and first responders shouldn’t have to fight crowds while they’re saving lives,” Democrat legislator Seth Koslow, who is running for county executive, told the New York Post. “This bill gives them the authority to keep chaos out and do their jobs without interference. It’s backed by both parties — because protecting those who protect us shouldn’t be political.”

The bill was introduced by Republicans but has garnered support from some Democrat legislators, including Seth Koslow. (Getty Images)

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Despite the bipartisan support among lawmakers, critics say the bill goes too far and could be abused to curb people’s constitutional rights.

“Floating buffer zones offer yet another way for police to keep their activities hidden from public scrutiny,” New York Civil Liberties Union senior policy counsel Justin Harrison told the New York Post. “Laws that make it harder to monitor the police don’t make anybody safer — in reality, they violate the Constitution, run counter to government transparency principles, and foster distrust in law enforcement.”

Some other states have passed similar laws that were later struck down by the courts.

VIDEO CAPTURES NEW YORK GRANDMOTHER, CHILDREN NARROWLY AVOIDING MANHOLE EXPLOSION

People who enter the “buffer zone” for first responders during an emergency would face a misdemeanor charge and a $1,000 fine along with the possibility of up to a year behind bars. (Getty Images)

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Louisiana passed a law last year prohibiting people from being within 25 feet of police after being told to back up. But last month, a federal judge blocked the measure, finding that it violated the 14th Amendment’s due process regulations and could infringe on journalists’ press freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment that grants them the right to film officers.

Similar laws in Arizona and Indiana have also been blocked by federal judges.

“We expect that Nassau’s law, if passed, will meet the same fate,” Harrison said.

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Maine

ICE arrests operator of midcoast Maine market

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ICE arrests operator of midcoast Maine market


FRIENDSHIP, Maine — A federal judge has ordered U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement not to relocate a Friendship man who ICE agents arrested Saturday.

Dhavalkumar Kalidas Patel was seized by four ICE agents at Wallace’s Market, which Patel and his wife operate on Harbor Road in Friendship.

His wife said the agents did not say why he was being taken away in handcuffs.

Attorney Audrey Richardson of Greater Boston Legal Services filed a motion for habeas corpus, meaning he is to be brought to a court in person.

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U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani of Massachusetts issued an emergency order hours after Patel was seized that prohibits him from being moved elsewhere.

“To provide a fair opportunity for the judge who will be randomly assigned to this case to review the merits of the petition and to rule on any contested issues of jurisdiction, unless otherwise ordered by the assigned judge, respondents will not remove the petitioner from the jurisdiction of the United States or transfer petitioner to a judicial district outside that of Massachusetts for a period of at least 72 hours from the time this Order is docketed,” Talwani wrote.

Patel is being held at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

The petition filed by the attorney representing Patel argues that he is being held unlawfully.

No further hearing dates have been scheduled, but the federal government has until July 6 to file a response.

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Richardson issued a statement on the arrest.

“This is another example of ICE illegally and illegitimately taking someone who is working hard to support their family,” she said, including a child born in the United States. “The family is a critical part of the fabric of a small community.”

The Patels have operated the store since 2024. The attorney said ICE agents initially did not even identify themselves. They did not say where he was being taken but he was allowed to make a call when they stopped in Scarborough.

Rob Sample, a customer of the store, said he could not understand why such an action was taken.

“We appreciate them,” he said of the Patel family, adding that they work hard to provide a community service by operating the store.

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Knox County Sheriff Patrick Polky said ICE notified his department after its action. He noted the agency is not required to notify the department.

Patel is a native of India.

This story appears through a media partnership with Midcoast Villager.



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Massachusetts

4 shot during World Cup watch party in Massachusetts

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4 shot during World Cup watch party in Massachusetts


Four people were shot on Friday night after hundreds had gathered to watch a World Cup match in Massachusetts.

Police said the shooting happened just before midnight on Main Street in Brockton.

Officers said the victims were taken to the hospital.

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Police have not said if there were any arrests.



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New Hampshire

Report card reflects New Hampshire’s maternal mental health improvements, room for growth – Concord Monitor

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Report card reflects New Hampshire’s maternal mental health improvements, room for growth – Concord Monitor


When maternal mental health report cards were introduced in 2023, New Hampshire received a failing grade.

The state’s poor performance has since improved, meeting the recommended ratio for maternal mental health therapists and psychiatric provider-prescribers per birth. Momnibus 2.0, a bill signed into law last year, built off of the gains of Momnibus 1.0 to broaden postpartum care, extending Medicaid coverage from 60 days to a full year after birth.

New Hampshire’s latest report card is reflecting those incremental strides: The state scored a C, on par with the national grade. No states earned As on their report cards, according to the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health.

Heather Martin sees the report cards as a helpful benchmark for states to track their progress.

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“We didn’t have the right support for it, and now we do. And now we can do something, and moms don’t have to suffer alone,” said Martin, a lead perinatal navigator for New Hampshire Mom Hub, a maternal mental health program operated by nonprofit Hope on Haven Hill.

According to Mom Hub, 40% of childbearing people experience symptoms of anxiety and depression following birth, and 75% of these cases go untreated.

The program works to empower and educate mothers on the resources available to them, bridging the gap between health providers and mothers in need. Report cards are a step in that direction, Martin said.

The report cards grade each state on 27 measures broken up into four domains: screening and detection, providers and treatment, policy and payment and parental support.

Over the past few years, New Hampshire improved on multiple fronts. The new bills expand screening options for new mothers and supports them in hiring doulas, non-medical professionals for physical and emotional support during the birthing process.

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Mothers screened at Dartmouth Health Children’s Hospital have had the opportunity to see community support therapists for follow-ups, Martin said.

“It’s not always about mental health support, it’s about community support, moms not having family around, access to childcare, so many different supports,” she said.

Mom Hub is partnered with numerous organizations and refers patients to birthing hospitals, community mental health centers, family resource centers and obstetrician and pediatric centers.

Despite New Hampshire’s improvements, there are still eight unmet measures on its 2026 report card, including parental support, provider consult accessibility, screening and health plan accountability.

One of the gaps is the inconsistency of screening data. While mothers are being screened, their results may not be documented and billed properly, according to the Maternal Mental Health Gap Analysis.

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The state lost two points in the parental support category, due to a lack of paid maternal leave and accessible childcare. New Hampshire has no mandated public paid parental leave program and no guaranteed 100% wage replacement for low-income families, according to the analysis.

Currently, the Granite State Paid Family Leave is a voluntary program with about 60% wage replacement up to six weeks.

Specialized treatment programs for mothers are also lacking, especially in rural areas, according to the 2026 report cards.

New Hampshire also lacks consult lines for perinatal care. A consult line would serve as a hotline for mothers to receive support and guidance from anywhere in the state. An existing hotline only provides pediatric resources.

New Hampshire is also offering services to help with full family support out of local family resource centers like Waypoint, which has locations in Manchester and Concord. Martin emphasized that these centers are not just for low-income families but for anyone in need of support.

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“They do home visiting, and they’re on the front lines of supporting families where their needs are,” she said.

Adequate health care for mothers is important beyond pregnancy, she said, since symptoms can go unnoticed for long periods of time.

“All moms need support. We are all tired, we are all sleep deprived and together is how we can support each other,” she said.



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