HB483: HB483 Crimes and offenses; protections for inspectors of code enforcement; provide

Georgia law already imposes tougher penalties for assaults and batteries committed against certain workers, such as utility workers, while they are performing their duties. This bill adds code enforcement officials, people who inspect buildings, structures, businesses, or property for compliance with safety laws, to that protected group. The bill defines a code enforcement official as someone with a high school diploma or equivalent who has completed Level 1 code enforcement training and works for or under contract with a municipality, city, county, or consolidated government. It then rewrites five separate Georgia Code sections covering simple assault, aggravated assault, simple battery, battery, and aggravated battery so that crimes against code enforcement officials carry the same enhanced penalties already set for utility workers. The changes take effect once the Governor signs the bill, or it becomes law without a signature, and apply to offenses committed on or after July 1, 2026.

• Adds a new legal definition of 'code enforcement official' covering trained municipal, city, county, or consolidated government safety inspectors.
• Makes simple assault against a code enforcement official on duty a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature, a more serious misdemeanor category.
• Makes aggravated assault against a code enforcement official on duty punishable by 3 to 20 years in prison.
• Makes simple battery and battery against a code enforcement official on duty a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature.
• Makes aggravated battery against a code enforcement official on duty punishable by 3 to 20 years in prison.
• Sets the changes to apply only to offenses committed on or after July 1, 2026.

Code enforcement officials employed by or contracted with Georgia municipalities, cities, counties, or consolidated governments; utility workers already covered by these laws; and anyone accused of assaulting or battering these workers while they are performing official duties.

Code enforcement officials who inspect buildings and property could face harsher legal consequences for anyone who assaults or batters them on the job, potentially discouraging violence against inspectors and increasing prison time or misdemeanor severity for offenders starting July 1, 2026.

• Section 1 rewrites the definitions section of Georgia's assault and battery law (O.C.G.A. § 16-5-19) to add 'code enforcement official' and renumber existing definitions.
• Section 2 amends simple assault law (O.C.G.A. § 16-5-20) to make an offense against a code enforcement official a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature.
• Section 3 amends aggravated assault law (O.C.G.A. § 16-5-21) to set a penalty of 3 to 20 years in prison for offenses against a code enforcement official.
• Section 4 amends simple battery law (O.C.G.A. § 16-5-23) to apply the same high and aggravated misdemeanor penalty.
• Section 5 amends battery law (O.C.G.A. § 16-5-23.1) to apply the same high and aggravated misdemeanor penalty.
• Section 6 amends aggravated battery law (O.C.G.A. § 16-5-24) to set a penalty of 3 to 20 years in prison.
• Section 7 sets the effective date as upon the Governor's approval and applies it to offenses committed on or after July 1, 2026.

1. 2026-05-05Effective Date 2026-05-05
2. 2026-05-05Act 380
3. 2026-05-05House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-03-23House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House)
6. 2026-03-12Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
7. 2026-03-12Senate Third Read (Senate)
8. 2026-01-28Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)

• Brian Prince (D, HD-132)Primary sponsor
• Rob Leverett (R, HD-123)
• Tyler Smith (R, HD-018)
• Matt Reeves (R, HD-099)
• Shea Roberts (D, HD-052)
• Esther Panitch (D, HD-051)
• Max Burns (R, SD-023)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 6, 2025

   168 yea, 5 nay (4 not voting, 3 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #247

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 12, 2026

   40 yea, 7 nay (2 not voting, 6 absent)

   Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #712

3. PassedHouse voteMarch 23, 2026

   140 yea, 26 nay (3 not voting, 7 absent)

   Agree To Senate Substitute: House Vote #751

• code enforcement
• criminal penalties
• public safety officials
• assault and battery law