SB 443: Offenses Against Public Order; the punishment for the offense of obstructing highways, streets, sidewalks, or other public passages; increase

Current Georgia law treats obstructing a highway, street, sidewalk, or other public passage as a single misdemeanor offense. This bill rewrites that law (O.C.G.A. § 16-11-43) to split it into two separate offenses. Blocking a highway or street without legal authority, in a way that makes it impassable and causes unreasonable inconvenience or hazard, becomes a high and aggravated misdemeanor if the person refuses to clear it after a police order or reasonable official request. That is a more serious classification than a standard misdemeanor and can carry steeper fines and jail time under Georgia law. The bill also allows a person harmed by this kind of obstruction to sue the offender in civil court for damages, on top of any criminal fine or penalty. Obstructing a sidewalk or other public passage besides a highway or street remains a regular misdemeanor under a separate provision. The bill repeals any conflicting laws.

• Splits the existing obstruction law into two offenses: one for highways and streets, another for sidewalks and other public passages.
• Raises the penalty for obstructing a highway or street to a high and aggravated misdemeanor, a more serious classification than a standard misdemeanor.
• Creates a new civil liability provision letting people harmed by a highway or street obstruction sue the offender for damages.
• Keeps obstruction of a sidewalk or other public passage as a regular misdemeanor, unchanged in severity.
• Requires a reasonable official request or a peace officer's order to remove the obstruction before the offense applies in either case.

People who block highways or streets, such as protesters or demonstrators who occupy roadways, face the stiffer penalty and possible civil lawsuits. Law enforcement officers who issue removal orders, prosecutors handling these cases, and anyone who obstructs sidewalks or other public passages are also affected.

Someone who blocks a highway or street and refuses a police order to move could now face a tougher criminal charge and a civil lawsuit for damages, rather than the lighter misdemeanor that previously covered all types of public obstruction, changing the legal risk of road blockages.

• Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 16-11-43 to make obstructing a highway or street, when done without legal authority and causing impassability, a high and aggravated misdemeanor if the person refuses a removal order.
• Section 1 adds a civil liability provision allowing a person to be sued for damages resulting from a highway or street obstruction, in addition to criminal fines or penalties.
• Section 1 keeps a separate provision making obstruction of a sidewalk or other public passage a standard misdemeanor.
• Section 2 repeals any laws in conflict with the Act.

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

• Carden Summers (R, SD-013)Patrocinador principal
• 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. AprobadaVotación: Senado3 de marzo de 2026

   37 a favor, 14 en contra (2 sin votar, 2 ausentes)

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

2. AprobadaVotación: Senado3 de marzo de 2026

   35 a favor, 17 en contra (1 sin votar, 2 ausentes)

   Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #606

3. AprobadaVotación: Cámara de Representantes23 de marzo de 2026

   96 a favor, 69 en contra (1 sin votar, 10 ausentes)

   Passage: House Vote #752

• public order laws
• protest laws
• road blockage penalties
• criminal misdemeanors
• civil liability