Halle Berry and Jennifer Garner testified for a bill on Tuesday that would make it illegal for paparazzi to take photos of children of Hollywood stars.
The actresses showed their support for Senate Bill 606 that would change the definition of harassment in the state to include any conduct that "alarms, annoys, torment or terrorizes" a child while photographing or recording the child without express parental consent.
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"As mothers, as parents, we don't have the wherewithal or the law in place right now to protect them from this,"
Berry told the assembly judiciary committee, according to the Associated Press. "What this bill would do is give us our rights back so that we can protect our children."
Garner teared up describing her experiences with relentless paparazzi following her and her three young children.
"I don't want a gang of shouting, arguing, law-breaking photographers who camp out everywhere we are, all day, every day, to continue to traumatize my kids," Garner told legislators.
The California Newspaper Publishers Association and the California Broadcasters Association, dissented with the stars and called for the bill to be struck down. The organizations told legislators that the bill is written so broadly that it could infringe on legitimate newsgathering.
Tuesday was Berry's second trip to Sacramento to support the bill. The Oscar-winner, who is pregnant, complained that constant hub of photographers lurking on every street has made her young daughter afraid to go to school.
"They are allowed to be so close to her that they can shout obscenities to me and ask her questions that are inappropriate for a 5-year-old to have to answer," Berry said.
The bill passed the judiciary committee will now head to the appropriations committee.
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