A bill outlawing the filming of police within a 25-foot radius landed in a Texas legislative committee late Wednesday, a measure that carries a maximum 180-day jail term and $2,000 fine.

The proposed buffer would increase to 100 feet for individuals carrying firearms, according to the legislation proposed by Rep. Jason Villalba, a Dallas Republican whose measure was referred to the House Committee on Emerging Issues In Texas Law Enforcement. Maximum penalties for violating the gun restriction are a year in jail and a $4,000 fine.

"They have the ability to say, 'Step back, please don't interfere,' but a lot of times these situations are in the heat of a law enforcement officer doing their jobs," Villalba said. "We're just trying to create enough separation, enough space so that officer feels comfortable."

Villalba also told the Dallas Observer that he's "not trying to limit the ability to film."

The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas blasted the proposal, saying the public has a First Amendment right to record officers. "HB 2918 would deprive us of an important check against abuse of power by the police," the group said.

The measure does allow the "news media" to film within the 25-foot halo. However, the bill's definition of media includes FCC-licensed television and radio stations, and magazines and newspapers. Online-only sites (such as Ars Technica) are excluded from the definition of "news media."

The bill comes at a time when the citizenry has become actively engaged in filming the police as mobile phones have become ubiquitous. The public posts videos to YouTube of police activity regularly, often prompting investigations of activities that otherwise would have gone unnoticed.

The idea of recording police activity came to the forefront when an 18-year-old unarmed teenager was shot and killed by a Ferguson, Missouri police officer in August. While that incident was not filmed, riots and protests that followed were captured on mobile phones and uploaded to social media.

In response, lawmakers and police departments nationwide have been scrambling to purchase police body cams, including in Ferguson. President Barack Obama has called for police to deploy them nationwide, as has a presidential policing panel—all in the name of transparency.

But legislators beyond Texas are also trying to figure out how to deal with the new phenomenon, too. A Minnesota lawmaker, for example, wants to keep police body cam footage private.

Sometimes, however, the public's right to film the police is chilled even when there isn't any law limiting police filming. Consider the Ferguson Police Department, which "routinely" blocks the public from filming officers, according to a Justice Department report released earlier this month.

Meanwhile, the courts often, but not always, frown on legislation limiting the public's ability to film police. The Supreme Court, however, has never addressed the issue.