SB443: SB443 Offenses Against Public Order; the punishment for the offense of obstructing highways, streets, sidewalks, or other public passages; increase

Georgia law already made it a crime to block a highway, street, sidewalk, or other public passage without legal authority if a person refuses to clear the obstruction after police ask. This bill rewrites that law (O.C.G.A. section 16-11-43) to raise the criminal penalty from a regular misdemeanor to a high and aggravated misdemeanor, which carries steeper fines and a longer possible jail sentence under Georgia law. The bill also adds a new civil consequence: a person convicted under this section can be held civilly liable for damages caused by the obstruction, on top of whatever criminal fine, penalty, or restitution a court orders. The bill repeals any conflicting laws. It does not list a delayed effective date, so it would take effect under Georgia's standard rule once signed into law.

• Raises the criminal penalty for obstructing a highway, street, sidewalk, or other public passage from a misdemeanor to a high and aggravated misdemeanor, a more serious classification with tougher penalties.
• Keeps the existing requirement that the person must have refused to clear the obstruction after a peace officer or other official asked them to.
• Adds a new provision allowing a person convicted under this law to be sued and held civilly liable for damages caused by the obstruction.
• States that this civil liability is in addition to any fine, penalty, or restitution a criminal court already imposes.
• Repeals any other Georgia laws that conflict with these changes.

The bill affects anyone who blocks a highway, street, sidewalk, or other public passage without legal authority and refuses to move after being told to by police, including protesters, demonstrators, and others engaged in street or sidewalk obstruction. It also affects people or businesses harmed by such obstructions, who could now sue for damages.

People who block roads or sidewalks and ignore police orders to clear out would face a harsher criminal charge with stiffer penalties than before, and could also be sued for money damages by anyone harmed, adding a financial risk on top of criminal punishment.

• Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. section 16-11-43 to make obstructing a highway, street, sidewalk, or other public passage without authority a high and aggravated misdemeanor instead of a plain misdemeanor.
• Section 1 keeps the existing rule that the obstruction must render the passage impassable without unreasonable inconvenience or hazard, and that the person must refuse to remove it after an official request or police order.
• Section 1 adds that a convicted person may be held civilly liable for damages resulting from the offense, separate from any criminal fine, penalty, or restitution.
• Section 2 repeals all laws and parts of laws that conflict with the bill.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-07-01
2. 2026-05-11Act 512
3. 2026-05-11Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
4. 2026-04-10Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
5. 2026-03-23House Passed/Adopted (House)
6. 2026-03-23House Third Readers (House)
7. 2026-03-19House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
8. 2026-03-06House Second Readers (House)

• Carden Summers (R, SD-013)Primary sponsor
• John Albers (R, SD-056)
• Clint Dixon (R, SD-045)
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)
• Frank Ginn (R, SD-047)
• Brian Strickland (R, SD-042)
• Jason T. Dickerson (R, SD-021)
• Ricky Williams (R, SD-025)
• Randy Robertson (R, SD-029)
• Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-031)
• Lee Anderson (R, SD-024)
• Timothy Bearden (R, SD-030)
• Mike Hodges (R, SD-003)
• Max Burns (R, SD-023)
• Drew Echols (R, SD-049)
• Steve Gooch (R, SD-051)
• Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)
• Noel Williams (R, HD-148)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 3, 2026

   37 yea, 14 nay (2 not voting, 2 absent)

   Adoption Of Amend #1a By Sen From The 19th To Amend #1 By Sen From The 50th: Senate Vote #605

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 3, 2026

   35 yea, 17 nay (1 not voting, 2 absent)

   Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #606

3. PassedHouse voteMarch 23, 2026

   96 yea, 69 nay (1 not voting, 10 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #752

• public order offenses
• protest laws
• road and sidewalk obstruction
• criminal penalties
• civil liability