SB 1073
Initials JL Page 1 Caucus & COW
ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Fifty-sixth Legislature
Second Regular Session
Senate: JUD DP 4-3-0-0 | 3
rd
Read DPA 16-13-1-0-0
House: JUD DP 6-3-0-0
SB 1073: obstruction highway; large event; classification
Sponsor: Senator Kavanagh, LD 3
Caucus & COW
Overview
Establishes a new form of the existing offense of obstructing a highway or other public
thoroughfare and classifies this new form of the offense as a class 6 felony.
History
Under current law, a person commits obstructing a highway or other public thoroughfare if
the person, alone or with other persons, does any of the following:
1) having no legal privilege to do so, recklessly interferes with the passage of any
highway or public thoroughfare by creating an unreasonable inconvenience or hazard
(which is a class 2 misdemeanor, except that a second or subsequent violation within
a period of 24 months is a class 1 misdemeanor);
2) intentionally activates a pedestrian signal on a highway or public thoroughfare if the
person's reason for activating the signal is not to cross the highway or public
thoroughfare but to do both of the following:
a) stop the passage of traffic on the highway or public thoroughfare;
b) solicit a driver for a donation or business (which is a class 3 misdemeanor);
3) after receiving a verbal warning to desist, intentionally interferes with passage on a
highway or other public thoroughfare or entrance into a public forum that results in
preventing other persons from gaining access to a governmental meeting, a
governmental hearing or a political campaign event (which is a class 1 misdemeanor).
For purposes of this offense public forum has the same meaning prescribed in A.R.S. § 15-
1861 (A.R.S. § 13-2906). The culpable mental states, including intentionally and recklessly,
are defined in A.R.S. § 13-105.
Provisions
1. Adds a new form of obstructing a highway or other public thoroughfare involving a person
who, having no legal privilege to do so and after receiving a verbal warning to desist,
intentionally interferes with either of the following:
a) passage on any roadway in or leading to an airport;
b) passage on a highway, bridge or tunnel currently holding 25 or more vehicles or
people. (Sec. 1)
2. Classifies this new form of the offense as a class 6 felony. (Sec. 1)
3. Makes conforming changes. (Sec. 1)
☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal Note