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HB1322 • 2025

Crimes and offenses; riot; repeal misdemeanor penalty and provide for a felony penalty

Crimes and offenses; riot; repeal misdemeanor penalty and provide for a felony penalty

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Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Cheokas, Mike
Last action
2026-03-06
Official status
House Committee Favorably Reported
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The provided bill text excerpt is a corrupted PDF stream and contains no readable legislative content; all facts are derived solely from the official summary title.

HB1322: Changing the Penalty for Riot from a Misdemeanor to a Felony

This bill changes Georgia law so that committing a riot is punished as a felony instead of a misdemeanor and adds riot to the list of crimes with set bail rules.

What This Bill Does

  • Removes the current rule that treats riot as a minor crime (misdemeanor).
  • Creates a new rule that treats riot as a serious crime (felony).
  • Updates the state code to include riot in the list of offenses with specific bail schedules.
  • Repeals any existing laws that conflict with these changes.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who commit or participate in riots under Georgia law.
  • Courts and judges handling cases involving riot charges.
  • Law enforcement agencies enforcing the new felony penalty for rioting.

Terms To Know

Misdemeanor
A less serious crime that usually results in shorter jail time or fines, rather than prison sentences.
Felony
A serious crime that carries heavier penalties, such as longer prison terms and larger fines.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill text provided does not state the specific length of prison time or amount of fines for the new felony penalty.
  • The exact effective date when this law will begin is not listed in the source material.
  • The definition of what actions count as a 'riot' comes from existing laws and is not changed by this bill.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-06 Georgia General Assembly

    House Committee Favorably Reported

Official Summary Text

Crimes and offenses; riot; repeal misdemeanor penalty and provide for a felony penalty