Jennifer Garner, Halle Berry push paparazzi bill

LOS ANGELES, USA – Hollywood stars Halle Berry and Jennifer Garner have urged California lawmakers to back a bill aimed at constraining the paparazzi when it comes to photographing children of celebrities.

The proposed legislation introduced by a Democratic senator, which specifically targets the paparazzi, aims to widen the legal definition of harassment to include taking pictures of or recording a child without the permission of a legal guardian.

“We’re not just whiny celebrities,” television station KTLA quoted Berry as telling lawmakers. “We are moms here trying to protect our children.”

“I am asking you as a parent to pay attention,” Garner, for her part, said.

“Would you do anything differently for your child?”

‘Chaos, fear’

The US media and paparazzi say the legislation limits their right to information.

Berry had expressed support for the bill as early as June.

At the time, she said her 5-year-old daughter was scared to go to school because of the paparazzi.

“Here come these men with cameras, besieging the school and these little children, all to get a photograph,” Berry addressed the hearing in Sacramento, the Californian capital.

“They cause chaos, they cause fear, the children and their parents are horrified, we start arguing, everybody’s fighting, and the men seem to don’t care at all.”

Besides her daughter with model Gabriel Aubry, Berry, who turned 47 in August, is expecting a child with Olivier Martinez. The French actor and Oscar-winning actress married last month.

Garner, 41, has 3 children (aged 7, 4 and 1) with actor and Oscar-winning screenwriter Ben Affleck.

The bill still has a long way to go before its enactment.

Once it gets past the California legislature, the proposed law will be presented to Gov. Jerry Brown for his signature or veto. – Rappler.com

Jennifer Garner and Halle Berry photos from EPA.