Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) and State Representative Jody Barrett (R-Dickson) recently filed legislation to make blocking a highway a Class D felony.
Under current law, it is classified as a Class A misdemeanor when a defendant “intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly” obstructs a public highway, street, sidewalk, railway, waterway, elevator, aisle, or hallway.
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.
Taylor and Barrett’s bill, if enacted, would increase 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.
In addition, the bill would allow a person who suffers loss or injury as a result of a blocked roadway to sue those responsible for damages.
The bill, HB 2031/SB 2570, was introduced days before a group of pro-Palestine protesters commandeered the Mississippi River Bridge on I-40 in Memphis, shutting down traffic in both directions for nearly two hours, as previously reported by The Tennessee Star.
I have a bill in the TN General Assembly that would make this a Class D Felony.
— Jody Barrett – State Representative (TN69) (@Jodyforstaterep) February 4, 2024
The blockade of I-40 left motorists with no way to cross the Mississippi River as the I-55 river bridge was under construction.
Barrett (pictured above, left) commented on Saturday’s protest, writing on X, “There is a proper time and place for protest. Blocking highways and bridges without going through proper process to obtain a parade permit creates an extremely dangerous situation for both participant and bystander. This intolerable behavior must have more severe consequences.”
In addition, during Monday’s edition of The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy, Taylor (pictured above, right) discussed a letter he sent to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) requesting that the agency investigate the I-40 protest and refers its findings to the appropriate prosecuting authorities so that the individuals responsible for the incident can be “prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Brent Taylor” by Senator Brent Taylor. Photo “Jody Barrett” by Jody Barrett Tennessee State Representative.
Well…. no more horn honking around the Capitol. What’s that noise????