Bill Text: GA HB541 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Obstruction of public administration; threaten or intimidate officer or official; provide for offense
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 6-1)
Status: (Passed) 2012-07-01 - Effective Date [HB541 Detail]
Download: Georgia-2011-HB541-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Obstruction of public administration; threaten or intimidate officer or official; provide for offense
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 6-1)
Status: (Passed) 2012-07-01 - Effective Date [HB541 Detail]
Download: Georgia-2011-HB541-Introduced.html
11 LC
35 2226
House
Bill 541
By:
Representatives Epps of the
140th,
Benton of the
31st,
Baker of the
78th,
Allison of the
8th,
Weldon of the
3rd,
and others
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Article 2 of Chapter 10 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to obstruction of public administration and related
offenses, so as to provide for the offense of threatening or intimidating a law
enforcement officer, public official, or other person relating to such person's
involvement in a judicial proceeding; to provide for penalties; to provide for
related matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and
for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Article
2 of Chapter 10 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to obstruction of public administration and related offenses, is amended by
adding a new Code section to read as follows:
"16-10-34.
(a)
As used in this Code section, the term:
(1)
'Acts in a manner to intimidate' means to undertake or pursue a knowing and
willful course of conduct for the purpose of causing emotional distress by
placing another person in reasonable fear for such person's safety or for the
safety of another person and which serves no legitimate purpose.
(2)
'Public official or participant in a judicial proceeding' means a law
enforcement officer, witness, judge, prosecutor, clerk of court, bailiff, juror,
or his or her family member.
(b)
A person who knowingly and willfully harms, threatens to harm, or acts in a
manner to intimidate a public official or participant in a judicial proceeding
in retaliation or response for anything such public official or participant did
in his or her official capacity or for participating in a judicial proceeding
shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction therefor, be punished by a fine
of not less than $5,000.00 nor more than $20,000.00, by imprisonment of not less
than one nor more than ten years, or both.
(c)
The offense provided for in this Code section shall not be merged with any other
criminal offense arising out of the same or related facts or
circumstances."
SECTION
2.
This
Act shall become effective on July 1, 2011.
SECTION
3.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.