MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2025 Regular Session

To: Judiciary A

By: Representative McLean

House Bill 926

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 97-35-23 AND 97-35-25, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO INCREASE PENALTIES FOR OBSTRUCTING PUBLIC STREETS AND ROADWAYS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

     BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

     SECTION 1.  Section 97-35-23, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

     97-35-23.  (1)  It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to intentionally obstruct, or interfere with the normal or ordinary free use and passage of vehicles of or on, any public street or highway provided for use by vehicular traffic, or for any person or persons to intentionally obstruct, or interfere with the normal or ordinary free use and passage of pedestrians of or on any public sidewalk provided for foot travel by pedestrians, and any person or persons who so do shall be guilty of a * * *misdemeanor felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not * * *more than Four Hundred Dollars ($400.00) less than One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars (1,500.00), or by imprisonment in the * * *county jail for not more than four (4) months custody of the Department of Corrections for not less than one (1) year nor more than two (2) years, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

     (2)  The provisions of this section are supplementary to the provisions of any other statute of this state.

     SECTION 2.  Section 97-35-25, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

     97-35-25.  (1)  It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to * * * wilfully willfully obstruct the free, convenient and normal use of any public sidewalk, street, highway, alley, road * * *, or other passageway by impeding, hindering, stifling, retarding or restraining traffic or passage thereon, and any person or persons violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a * * *misdemeanor felony, and upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not * * *more less than * * *Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00) or by confinement in the * * *county jail not exceeding six (6) months custody of the Department of Corrections for not less than one (1) year nor more than two (2) years, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

     (2)  The provisions of this section are supplementary to the provisions of any other statute of this state.

     SECTION 3.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2025.