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THETRUCKER.COM
Mississippi lawmakers consider penalties for blocking roadways during protests
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
JACKSON, Miss. — Republican lawmakers
in Mississippi are seeking to increase penalties
for people who block public roadways
during protests. Several Democrats, however,
are expressing concerns about legislation that
could be seen as criminalizing free speech.
Republican Sen. Chad McMahan of Guntown
proposed the “Freedom of Roadway Act”
to “criminalize the malicious obstruction of a
public street, highway or road during an unpermitted
protest.”
Senate Bill 2283 would require that protesters
who block roadways with no permit be
fined up to $1,500, serve up to a year in jail
or both. The minimum punishment would be a
$500 fine and a 25-day jail sentence.
McMahan told the Senate Judiciary B Committee
on Wednesday, Jan. 27, that he drafted
the bill after being approached by the Tupelo
police chief, who was concerned after seeing
protesters blocking roadways in other parts of
the country.
McMahan mentioned a protest outside of
Memphis, Tennessee, where people blocked
traffic on a four-lane highway. There have been
several protests in Memphis, over the killing
of Black men by police, that have closed roadways
during the last few years.
“There was a protest in Columbia, Mississippi,
on Highway 98 where some folks from
out of town came and blocked the road after
some of these police deaths and things across
AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis
Sen. Derrick Simmons, D-Greenville, outlines
the 2021 legislative priorities of the
Mississippi Senate Democratic Caucus to
reporters during the first day of the 2021 Mississippi
Legislature at the Capitol in Jackson,
Mississippi.
the country,” said Republican Sen. Angela
Burks Hill of Picayune, a co-sponsor of the bill.
“It almost turned into the citizens handling
the blocking of the roadway,” she said. “I think
that — anything to deter somebody from wanting
to do this. We don’t want anybody getting
hurt.”
However, Democratic Sens. Angela Turner-
Ford of West Point and Derrick Simmons of
Greenville raised concerns about the legality of
criminalizing gatherings without a permit.
“I’m just concerned about criminalizing
Nation February 15-28, 2021 • 3
AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis
Sen. Chad McMahan, R-Guntown, moves his copy of the 2022 Mississippi Legislative Budget
Report as he checks his mail at his desk during the first day of the 2021 Mississippi Legislature,
Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021, in Jackson, Mississippi.
potentially protected speech,” Simmons said.
The majority of lawmakers on the Senate
Judiciary B Committee said they would not
support sending the legislation to the full Senate
for a vote as it was written.
Simmons proposed a compromise — increasing
penalties on an existing law that bans
any person from obstructing roadways, instead
of passing legislation specifically targeting
protesters.
The change would increase the current
punishment of $500 or six months in jail for
blocking roadways to McMahan’s proposal of
$1,500, a year in jail or both, with a minimum
$500 fine and 25 days in jail.
The amended proposal was passed by committee
members unanimously and was sent to
the full Senate.
By Leah Willingham, The Associated Press/
Report for America. 8