Obstructing public streets and roadways; increase penalties for.
House Bill 926 amends two Mississippi criminal statutes governing obstruction of public streets, highways, sidewalks, alleys, roads, and other passageways. The bill changes the offense in both sections from a misdemeanor to a felony when a person intentionally or willfully blocks or interferes with normal traffic or pedestrian passage. It also raises the monetary penalties and replaces short county-jail terms with longer Department of Corrections sentences, with the new penalties applying to convictions under either statute.
Under the bill, a person who intentionally obstructs vehicles or pedestrians on public streets or sidewalks under Section 97-35-23 would face felony punishment, including a fine of up to $1,500 and imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections for one to two years, or both. Section 97-35-25 is similarly amended to make willful obstruction of sidewalks, streets, highways, alleys, roads, or other passageways a felony, with the same fine and prison range. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.
HB926 would substantially increase the criminal consequences for obstructing roads and pedestrian pathways in Mississippi by reclassifying the conduct from a misdemeanor to a felony and shifting punishment from county-jail confinement to state prison custody. It amends Sections 97-35-23 and 97-35-25 of the Mississippi Code and leaves those provisions supplementary to other criminal statutes, meaning prosecutors could still rely on other applicable laws as well. The bill would affect individuals accused of blocking streets, highways, sidewalks, or other passageways, and would give law enforcement and prosecutors a more serious charging option for such conduct.
No committee transcript or vote record is provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate, support, or opposition in the available materials. Based on the bill text and caption, the measure appears to reflect a punitive approach toward roadway obstruction, suggesting an intent to deter blockages by increasing penalties. The absence of recorded discussion makes it difficult to assess whether the bill was controversial, but the felony upgrade indicates a significant policy change that could draw concern from civil liberties advocates or protest-related groups.
The main point of contention is likely the bill’s escalation of obstruction offenses from misdemeanors to felonies, especially because the statutes cover both vehicle and pedestrian passage and can reach conduct on sidewalks, streets, highways, alleys, roads, and other passageways. Supporters would likely argue that stronger penalties are needed to keep traffic moving and protect public safety, while opponents may argue that the bill is overly broad or could be used to punish protest activity or other expressive conduct. The shift from county jail to Department of Corrections custody is another notable issue because it increases the severity and collateral consequences of a conviction.