SLS 24RS-262 ORIGINAL
2024 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 51
BY SENATOR MORRIS
CRIME/PUNISHMENT. Extends applicability of both aggravated and simple obstruction
of a highway of commerce to state waters. (8/1/24)
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 14:96(A) and 97(A), relative to obstructing highways of
3 commerce; to provide that the crimes of simple and aggravated obstruction of a
4 highway of commerce apply to state waters; and to provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 14:96(A) and 97(A) are hereby amended and reenacted to read as
7 follows:
8 §96. Aggravated obstruction of a highway of commerce
9 A. Aggravated obstruction of a highway of commerce is the intentional or
10 criminally negligent placing of anything or performance of any act on any railway,
11 railroad, navigable waterway, or waters of the state, road, highway, thoroughfare,
12 or runway of an airport, wherein it is foreseeable that human life might be
13 endangered.
14 * * *
15 §97. Simple obstruction of a highway of commerce
16 A. Simple obstruction of a highway of commerce is the intentional or
17 criminally negligent placing of anything or performance of any act on any railway,
Page 1 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 51
SLS 24RS-262 ORIGINAL
1 railroad, navigable waterway, or waters of the state, road, highway, thoroughfare,
2 or runway of an airport, which will render movement thereon more difficult.
3 * * *
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Jonathon Wagner.
DIGEST
SB 51 Original 2024 Regular Session Morris
Present law provides that simple obstruction of a highway of commerce is the intentional or
criminally negligent placing of anything or performance of any act on any railway, railroad,
navigable waterway, road, highway, thoroughfare, or runway of an airport, which will render
movement thereon more difficult.
Present law provides that simple obstruction of a highway of commerce is the intentional or
criminally negligent placing of anything or performance of any act on any railway, railroad,
navigable waterway, road, highway, thoroughfare, or runway of an airport, wherein it is
foreseeable that human life might be endangered.
Proposed law retains present law and makes it applicable to state waters.
Effective August 1, 2024.
(Amends R.S. 14:96(A) and 97(A))
Page 2 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.