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

Georgia SB 443, Offenses Against Public Order; the punishment for the offense of obstructing highways, streets, sidewalks, or other public passages; increase, is a 2025-2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by John Albers (Republican), Jason Anavitarte (Republican), Lee Anderson (Republican) and 14 others; status signed, last action 2026-07-01 (Effective Date) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB443-2025-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Georgia SB 443
- State: Georgia
- Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
- Title: Offenses Against Public Order; the punishment for the offense of obstructing highways, streets, sidewalks, or other public passages; increase
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-29
- Last action: 2026-07-01, Effective Date
- Sponsors: John Albers (Republican), Jason Anavitarte (Republican), Lee Anderson (Republican), Timothy Bearden (Republican), Max Burns (Republican), Jason T. Dickerson (Republican), Clint Dixon (Republican), Drew Echols (Republican), Frank Ginn (Republican), Steve Gooch (Republican), Russ Goodman (Republican), Billy Hickman (Republican), Mike Hodges (Republican), Randy Robertson (Republican), Brian Strickland (Republican), Carden Summers (Republican), Rick Williams (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Judiciary Non-Civil, Judiciary, General Bill
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 3 (168 yes, 100 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Higher penalties and damages for road blockers: mixed, low. In Georgia, blocking a highway or street carries a high and aggravated misdemeanor, a more serious misdemeanor charge. Blocking a sidewalk or other public passage carries a regular misdemeanor. Both offenses require intentional or reckless blocking without legal authority that makes passage impossi…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: John Albers (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Jason Anavitarte (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Lee Anderson (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Timothy Bearden (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Max Burns (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Jason T. Dickerson (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Clint Dixon (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Drew Echols (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Frank Ginn (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Steve Gooch (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Russ Goodman (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Billy Hickman (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Mike Hodges (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Randy Robertson (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Brian Strickland (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Carden Summers (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Rick Williams (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Noel Williams (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-23 | House | PASSAGE | pass | 96 | 69 | 5 |
| 2026-03-03 | Senate | ADOPTION OF AMEND #1A BY SEN FROM THE 19TH TO AMEND #1 BY SEN FROM THE 50TH | pass | 37 | 14 | 3 |
| 2026-03-03 | Senate | PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE | pass | 35 | 17 | 2 |

## Actions (15)

- 2026-07-01: Effective Date
- 2026-05-11: Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
- 2026-05-11: Act 512
- 2026-04-10: Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
- 2026-03-23: House Third Readers (House)
- 2026-03-23: House Passed/Adopted (House)
- 2026-03-19: House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- 2026-03-06: House Second Readers (House)
- 2026-03-04: House First Readers (House)
- 2026-03-03: Senate Third Read (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
- 2026-02-24: Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- 2026-02-20: Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
- 2026-02-02: Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- 2026-01-29: Senate Hopper (Senate)

## Bill text

- SB 443/AP* (v9): [PDF](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/247236)

## Related bills

- SB 160: Reckless Stunt Driving; a motor vehicle involved in a second offense of reckless stunt driving; replace the forfeiture penalty (signed)
- SB 384: Motor Vehicle; optional five-year motor vehicle registration and revalidation for certain motor vehicles; provide (signed)
- SB 76: License Plates; specialty license plate benefitting the Georgia Veterans Service Foundation; establish (signed)
- SB 406: "Georgia Property Owners' Bill of Rights Act"; enact (signed)
- HB 1391: Specialty license plates; honor public safety officers; establish (signed)
- HB 1344: Georgia Insurance Affordability and Claims Integrity Act; enact (signed)

## Sources
- [SB 443/AP* (v9) (PDF)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/247236)

## Related
- [SB 160: Reckless Stunt Driving; a motor vehicle involved in a second offense of reckles…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB160-2025-2026)
- [SB 384: Motor Vehicle; optional five-year motor vehicle registration and revalidation f…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB384-2025-2026)
- [SB 76: License Plates; specialty license plate benefitting the Georgia Veterans Servic…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB76-2025-2026)
- [SB 406: "Georgia Property Owners' Bill of Rights Act"; enact](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB406-2025-2026)
- [HB 1391: Specialty license plates; honor public safety officers; establish](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1391-2025-2026)
- [HB 1344: Georgia Insurance Affordability and Claims Integrity Act; enact](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1344-2025-2026)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB443-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).