By Healthcare Facilities Today

A proposed ordinance in York City, Pa., would ban protesters from a 30-foot "buffer zone" around the entrances and exits the city's healthcare facilities, according to an article on the York Dispatch.

"For decades, there has been some harassing conduct, intimidation from protesters outside of our various facilities," Sarah Newman, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood clinics in the region, said in the article. "Sometimes protesters have completely blocked entrances to medical facilities. There's certainly been harassment or intimidation of both our patients and our staff."

According to a draft of York City's proposal, "No person or persons shall knowingly congregate, patrol, picket or demonstrate" in the zone.

Healthcare facilities include hospitals, medical offices and clinics licensed by the state.

A person who violates the proposed law could be required to pay a fine of at least $100 on the first offense, the article said. Subsequent offenses would carry the possibility of jail time and bigger fines.

According to the draft, the York City Police Department and other city police departments "have been consistently called upon to mediate the disputes between those seeking medical counseling and treatment and those who would counsel against their actions."

Enforcement of the buffer zone is designed to be "content-neutral" and "without regard to the message or viewpoint of the speaker," the article said.

Read the article.