HB994: HB994 Crimes and offenses; riot; provide for a felony penalty

Under current Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 16-11-30), riot, defined as two or more people committing an unlawful act of violence or acting in a violent and tumultuous manner, is a misdemeanor. This bill would rewrite that section so riot becomes a felony, punishable by one to twenty years in prison. The bill also changes Georgia's bail law (O.C.G.A. § 17-6-1), which lists certain serious offenses that require special bail procedures, such as a hearing before a judge, rather than allowing bail to be set automatically. Riot would be added to that list as a new category alongside existing entries for violations involving strangulation and Chapter 15 offenses (gang activity). The bill repeals any conflicting laws and does not state a specific future effective date beyond the standard process.

• Rewrites Georgia's riot statute (O.C.G.A. § 16-11-30) to reclassify riot from a misdemeanor to a felony.
• Sets the penalty for riot at imprisonment for not less than one year and not more than twenty years.
• Adds riot as a new listed offense in Georgia's bail law (O.C.G.A. § 17-6-1), meaning it would require the special bail procedures used for serious crimes.
• Repeals any existing state laws that conflict with these changes.

People charged with or convicted of riot in Georgia, criminal defense attorneys, prosecutors, judges who set bail, and county jails and courts that process riot cases under the state's bail procedures.

Reclassifying riot as a felony means a conviction could carry a much longer prison sentence and lasting consequences like loss of voting rights while incarcerated and a felony record. Adding riot to the special bail list also means people accused of riot could face stricter, judge-supervised bail conditions instead of routine bail.

• Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 16-11-30 to change riot from a misdemeanor to a felony punishable by one to twenty years in prison.
• Section 2 amends O.C.G.A. § 17-6-1 by revising paragraphs (13) and (14) and adding a new paragraph (15) that lists riot among offenses subject to special bail procedures.
• Section 3 repeals all laws and parts of laws that conflict with the Act.

1. 2026-01-27House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-01-16House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-01-15House Hopper (House)

• Mike Cheokas (R, HD-151)Primary sponsor
• Emory Dunahoo (R, HD-031)
• Charles Cannon (R, HD-172)
• Lauren McDonald (R, HD-026)
• Eddie Lumsden (R, HD-012)
• Steve Tarvin (R, HD-002)

• riot laws
• criminal penalties
• bail procedures
• felony reclassification