Present law provides that a person commits a Class A misdemeanor if the person intentionally, knowingly or recklessly obstructs a highway, street, sidewalk, railway, waterway, elevator, aisle, or hallway to which the public, or a substantial portion of the public, has access; or any other place used for the passage of persons, vehicles or conveyances, whether the obstruction arises from the person's acts alone or from the person's acts and the acts of others. A Class A misdemeanor is punishable by a maximum term of imprisonment of 11 months, 29 days, a maximum fine of $2,500, or both, unless otherwise provided by statute.
This bill increases the penalty from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class D felony if a defendant intentionally obstructs a highway, street, or other place used for the passage of vehicles or conveyances. A Class D felony is punishable by a term of imprisonment not less than two years but not more than 12 years, and a jury is authorized to assess a maximum fine of $5,000, unless otherwise provided by statute.
Additionally, this bill provides that a person who suffers loss or injury as a result of a violation of this bill may bring a cause of action against the person who violated present law to recover compensatory damages from the loss or injury.
ON APRIL 23, 2024, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2570, AS AMENDED.
AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to make the changes described below.
Present law provides that a person commits a Class A misdemeanor if the person intentionally, knowingly or recklessly obstructs a highway, street, sidewalk, railway, waterway, elevator, aisle, or hallway to which the public, or a substantial portion of the public, has access; or any other place used for the passage of persons, vehicles or conveyances, whether the obstruction arises from the person's acts alone or from the person's acts and the acts of others. A Class A misdemeanor is punishable by a maximum term of imprisonment of 11 months, 29 days, a maximum fine of $2,500, or both, unless otherwise provided by statute.
If a person suffers loss or injury as a result of a violation of the above present law in which the defendant intentionally obstructed a highway, street, or other place used for the passage of vehicles or conveyances, then this amendment authorizes the person to bring a cause of action against the person who violated the above present law to recover compensatory damages from the loss or injury.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 39-17-307(c)(1), 39-17-307