25 LC 48 1484
House Bill 483
By: Representatives Prince of the 132
nd
, Leverett of the 123
rd
, Smith of the 18
th
, Reeves of
the 99
th
, Roberts of the 52
nd
, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 2 of Chapter 5 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
1
relating to assault and battery, so as to provide for protections for inspectors of code2
enforcement; to provide for definitions; to provide for enhanced penalties for simple assault,3
aggravated assault, simple battery, battery, and aggravated battery committed upon4
inspectors of code enforcement in certain circumstances; to provide for related matters; to5
provide for an effective date and applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other6
purposes.7
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:8
SECTION 1.9
Article 2 of Chapter 5 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to10
assault and battery, is amended by revising paragraph (9) of and by adding a new paragraph11
to Code Section 16-5-19, relating to definitions, to read as follows:12
"(4.1) 'Inspector of code enforcement' means any person employed by or under contract
13
with a municipality, city, county, or consolidated government who performs safety14
inspections of buildings, structures, and businesses to ensure they are operated in15
accordance with the law."16
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"(9) 'Public safety officer' means peace officer, correctional officer, emergency health
17
worker, firefighter, highway emergency response operator, inspector of code
18
enforcement, jail officer, juvenile correctional officer, or probation officer."19
SECTION 2.20
Said article is further amended by revising subsection (i) of Code Section 16-5-20, relating21
to simple assault, as follows:22
"(i) Any person who commits the offense of simple assault upon a utility worker or23
inspector of code enforcement while such worker or inspector is acting within the course24
and scope of their his or her employment or is performing official duties at the time of the25
offense shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished for a misdemeanor of a high and26
aggravated nature."27
SECTION 3.28
Said article is further amended by revising subsection (m) of Code Section 16-5-21, relating29
to aggravated assault, as follows:30
"(m) Any person who commits the offense of aggravated assault upon a utility worker or31
inspector of code enforcement while such worker or inspector is acting within the course32
and scope of their his or her employment or is performing official duties shall, upon33
conviction thereof, be punished by imprisonment for not less than three nor more than 2034
years."35
SECTION 4.36
Said article is further amended by revising subsection (j) of Code Section 16-5-23, relating37
to simple battery, as follows:38
"(j) Any person who commits the offense of simple battery upon a utility worker or39
inspector of code enforcement while such worker or inspector is acting within the course40
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and scope of their his or her employment or is performing official duties at the time of the41
offense shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished for a misdemeanor of a high and42
aggravated nature."43
SECTION 5.44
Said article is further amended by revising subsection (l) of Code Section 16-5-23.1, relating45
to battery, as follows:46
"(l) Any person who commits the offense of battery upon a utility worker or inspector of47
code enforcement while such worker or inspector is acting within the course and scope of48
their his or her employment or is performing official duties at the time of the offense shall,49
upon conviction thereof, be punished for a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature."50
SECTION 6.51
Said article is further amended by revising subsection (i) of Code Section 16-5-24, relating52
to aggravated battery, as follows:53
"(i) Any person who commits the offense of aggravated battery upon a utility worker or54
inspector of code enforcement while such worker or inspector is acting within the course55
and scope of their his or her employment or is performing official duties at the time of the56
offense shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by imprisonment for not less than three57
nor more than 20 years."58
SECTION 7.59
This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law60
without such approval and shall apply to all offenses committed on or after July 1, 2025.61
SECTION 8.62
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.63
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