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HB721 • 2026

Obstructing public streets and roadways; increase penalties for.

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.

Crime
Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
McLean
Last action
2026-02-03
Official status
Dead
Effective date
July 1, 20

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass and was not signed into law, so it does not have an effective date.

Increase Penalties for Blocking Streets and Roads

This bill proposes to amend sections of the Mississippi Code to increase penalties for obstructing public streets and roadways by making it a felony offense with fines and imprisonment.

What This Bill Does

  • Amends Sections 97-35-23 and 97-35-25 of the Mississippi Code of 1972 to make blocking public streets, highways, sidewalks, or other passageways a felony.
  • Requires a minimum fine of $1,500 for those found guilty of obstructing public areas.
  • Imposes a prison sentence ranging from one to two years for offenders.
  • Allows for both fines and imprisonment as penalties.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who intentionally block or interfere with the use of public streets, highways, sidewalks, or other passageways without proper authorization from local governments or state agencies.

Terms To Know

Felony
A serious crime that can result in a prison sentence and significant fines.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass and was not signed into law.
  • It only affects those who intentionally block or interfere without proper authorization from local governments or state agencies.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/03 (H) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-01-15 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/15 (H) Referred To Judiciary A;Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency

Official Summary Text

Obstructing public streets and roadways; increase penalties for.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H. B. No. 721 *HR26/R1288* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR26/R1288
PAGE 1 (GT\KW)

To: Judiciary A;
Accountability, Efficiency,
Transparency
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative McLean

HOUSE BILL NO. 721

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 97-35-23 AND 97-35-25, MISSISSIPPI 1
CODE OF 1972, TO INCREASE PENALTIES FOR OBSTRUCTING PUBLIC STREETS 2
AND ROADWAYS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 4
SECTION 1. Section 97-35-23, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 5
amended as follows: 6
97-35-23. (1) Except as otherwise authorized by a 7
municipality, county, political subdivision or state agency in 8
accordance with the Safe Solicitation Act, Sections 17-31-1 9
through 17-31-11, it shall be unlawful for any person or persons 10
to intentionally obstruct, or interfere with the normal or 11
ordinary free use and passage of vehicles of or on, any public 12
street or highway provided for use by vehicular traffic, or for 13
any person or persons to intentionally obstruct, or interfere with 14
the normal or ordinary free use and passage of pedestrians of or 15
on any public sidewalk provided for foot travel by pedestrians, 16
and any person or persons who so do shall be guilty of a * * * 17
felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine 18
H. B. No. 721 *HR26/R1288* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1288
PAGE 2 (GT\KW)
ST: Obstructing public streets and roadways;
increase penalties for.
of not * * * less than One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars 19
($1,500.00), * * * by imprisonment in the * * * custody of the 20
Department of Corrections for not less than one (1) year nor more 21
than two (2) years, or * * * both * * *. 22
(2) The provisions of this section are supplementary to the 23
provisions of any other statute of this state. 24
SECTION 2. Section 97-35-25, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 25
amended as follows: 26
97-35-25. (1) Except as otherwise authorized for 27
solicitation permits in accordance with the Safe Solicitation Act, 28
Sections 17-31-1 through 17-31-11, it shall be unlawful for any 29
person or persons to willfully obstruct the free, convenient and 30
normal use of any public sidewalk, street, highway, alley, road or 31
other passageway by impeding, hindering, stifling, retarding or 32
restraining traffic or passage thereon, and any person or persons 33
violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of 34
a * * * felony, and upon conviction * * *, shall be punished by a 35
fine of not * * * less than One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars 36
($1,500.00) or by confinement in the * * * custody of the 37
Department of Corrections for not less than one (1) year nor more 38
than two (2) years, or by both such fine and imprisonment. 39
(2) The provisions of this section are supplementary to the 40
provisions of any other statute of this state. 41
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from 42
and after July 1, 2026. 43