Georgia legislation · 2025-2026 Regular Session
Georgia HB483: Crimes and offenses; protections for inspectors of code enforcement; provide
Status: Signed into law, May 5, 2026
A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 2 of Chapter 5 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to assault and battery, so as to provide for protections for inspectors of code enforcement; to provide for definitions; to provide for enhanced penalties for simple assault, aggravated assault, simple battery, battery, and aggravated battery committed upon inspectors of code enforcement in certain circumstances; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date and applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
What the bill says
To amend Article 2 of Chapter 5 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to assault and battery, so as to provide for protections for inspectors of code enforcement; to provide for definitions; to provide for enhanced penalties for simple assault, aggravated assault, simple battery, battery, and aggravated battery committed upon inspectors of code enforcement in certain circumstances; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date and applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
From the introduced text:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED To amend Article 2 of Chapter 5 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to assault and battery, so as to provide for protections for inspectors of code enforcement; to provide for definitions; to provide for enhanced penalties for simple assault, aggravated assault, simple battery, battery, and aggravated battery committed upon inspectors of code enforcement in certain circumstances; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date and applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: SECTION 1. Article 2 of Chapter 5 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to assault and battery, is amended by revising paragraph (9) of and by adding a new paragraph to Code Section 16-5-19, relating to definitions, to read as follows: "(4.1) 'Inspector of code enforcement' means any person employed by or under contract with a municipality, city, county, or consolidated government who performs safety inspections of buildings, structures, and businesses to ensure they are operated in accordance with the law." H. B. LC 48 1484 "(9) 'Public safety officer' means peace officer, correctional officer, emergency health worker, firefighter, highway emergency response operator, inspector of code enforcement, jail officer, juvenile correctional officer, or probation officer." SECTION 2. Said …