Senate Bill 470
By: Senators Albers of the 56th, Robertson of the 29th, Bearden of the 30th, Kirkpatrick of
the 32nd, Payne of the 54th and others
AS PASSED
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 2 of Chapter 11 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to offenses against public order, so as to prohibit the possession, use, operation,
manufacture, sale, offer for sale, distribution, or import of signal jammers; to establish
criminal offenses; to provide for penalties; to require that certain penalties shall not be
suspended, stayed, deferred, or withheld by the sentencing court; to provide for the
designation of signal jammers and other property as contraband; to provide for the forfeiture
of property used directly or indirectly, or intended for use in any manner, to facilitate a
violation of the criminal offenses established in this Act; to specifically authorize the
Attorney General to commence forfeiture proceedings; to provide for exemptions; to provide
for definitions; to provide a short title; to provide an effective date; to provide for related
matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Emergency & Public Safety Signal
Protection Act."
SECTION 2.
Article 2 of Chapter 11 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
offenses against public order, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
<ins>"16-11-46.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Communication signal' means a signal used in a communications system to transfer
information from a transmitter to a receiver. Communication signals include, but are not
limited to, analog signals and digital signals.
(2) 'Critical infrastructure' means publicly or privately owned facilities, systems,
functions, or assets, whether physical or virtual, providing or distributing services for the
benefit of the public, including, but not limited to, energy, fuel, water, agriculture,
healthcare, finance, communications, education, or any other vital public service.
(3) 'Property' shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code Section 9-16-2.
(4) 'Public agency' means the state and any city, county, city and county, municipal
corporation, chartered organization, public district, or public authority located in whole
or in part within this state which provides or has authority to provide fire-fighting, law
enforcement, ambulance, medical, correctional, or other emergency services.
(5) 'Public safety agency' means a functional division of a public agency which provides
fire-fighting, law enforcement, emergency medical, suicide prevention, emergency
management dispatching, poison control, drug prevention, child abuse, spouse abuse,
correctional, or other emergency services.
(6) 'Public safety answering point' means the designated communication center or centers
of a public safety agency for dispatching appropriate emergency personnel, agencies,
correctional personnel, or law enforcement officers, including, but not limited to, 9-1-1
call centers.
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<ins>(7) 'Public transportation system' means all facilities, conveyances, and instrumentalities,
whether publicly or privately owned, that are used in or for publicly available services
for the transportation of individuals or cargo.
(8) 'Signal jammer' means any device, instrument, or apparatus which through emitting
a signal is capable of preventing, disrupting, delaying, degrading, or otherwise interfering
with the transmission of a communication signal over:
(A) Any wireless communications system, cellular communications system, radar
system, or global positioning system; or
(B) Any radio, telephone, or cable line, station, or system.
(9) 'Vital public service' includes water, sewerage, drainage, energy, electric, gas, natural
gas, telecommunications, internet, cable, navigation, collision avoidance, public
transportation systems, railroads, and other services the loss of which would have a
debilitating impact on the health, safety, or financial security of the public.
(b) Except as provided in subsection (g) of this Code section, it shall be unlawful for any
person to possess, use, or operate a signal jammer with the intent to prevent, disrupt, delay,
degrade, or otherwise interfere with the transmission of a communication signal over:
(1) Any wireless communications system, cellular communications system, radar system,
or global positioning system; or
(2) Any radio, telephone, or cable line, station, or system.
(c)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, a person that violates
subsection (b) of this Code section shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction
thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than seven
years, a fine of not more than $10,000.00, or both.
(2) A person that violates subsection (b) of this Code section shall be guilty of a felony
and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor
more than ten years, a fine of not more than $25,000.00, or both, if such violation
involves the possession, use, or operation of a signal jammer with the intent to prevent,
</ins>
<ins>disrupt, delay, degrade, or otherwise interfere with the transmission of a communication
signal by, from, with, or to a public safety agency, a public safety answering point, or any
component of critical infrastructure.
(3) A violation of subsection (b) of this Code section shall not merge with any other
offense and the punishments prescribed by paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection shall
not be suspended, stayed, deferred, or withheld by the sentencing court.
(d) Except as provided in subsection (g) of this Code section, it shall be unlawful for any
person to possess, manufacture, sell, offer for sale, distribute, or import a signal jammer
in this state.
(e) A person that violates subsection (d) of this Code section shall be guilty of a felony
and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor
more than five years, a fine of not more than $10,000.00, or both.
(f)(1) Any property which is used or intended for use in any manner to facilitate a
violation of this Code section shall be declared to be contraband, no person shall have a
property right in such property, and such property shall be subject to forfeiture.
(2) Any property subject to forfeiture pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection shall
be forfeited in accordance with the procedures set forth in Chapter 16 of Title 9, the
'Georgia Uniform Civil Forfeiture Procedure Act.'
(3) The Attorney General shall be specifically authorized to commence civil forfeiture
proceedings under this subsection.
(g) The following shall be exempt from the provisions of this Code section:
(1) The possession, use, operation, manufacture, sale, offer for sale, distribution, or
importation of a signal jammer in this state that is authorized under federal law or that has
been approved by the Federal Communications Commission or other federal agency
authorized to regulate signal jammers; and
(2) The possession, use, operation, manufacture, sale, offer for sale, distribution, or
importation of a signal jammer in this state by public safety agencies, state and local law
</ins>
<ins>enforcement and correctional agencies, or any other person or entity that is legally
authorized to possess, use, operate, manufacture, sell, offer for sale, distribute, or import
a signal jammer in this state."
</ins> SECTION 3.
This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2026.
SECTION 4.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.