Texas Penal Code

§ 42.03 — OBSTRUCTING HIGHWAY OR OTHER PASSAGEWAY

PE § 42.03Title 9. OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC ORDER AND DECENCY · Ch. 42. DISORDERLY CONDUCT AND RELATED OFFENSES

Statute text

(a)A person commits an offense if, without legal privilege or authority, he intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly:

(1)obstructs a highway, street, sidewalk, railway, waterway, elevator, aisle, hallway, entrance, or exit to which the public or a substantial group of the public has access, or any other place used for the passage of persons, vehicles, or conveyances, regardless of the means of creating the obstruction and whether the obstruction arises from his acts alone or from his acts and the acts of others; or

(2)disobeys a reasonable request or order to move issued by a person the actor knows to be or is informed is a peace officer, a fireman, or a person with authority to control the use of the premises:

(A)to prevent obstruction of a highway or any of those areas mentioned in Subdivision (1); or

(B)to maintain public safety by dispersing those gathered in dangerous proximity to a fire, riot, or other hazard.

(b)For purposes of this section, "obstruct" means to render impassable or to render passage unreasonably inconvenient or hazardous.

…

Legislative history

Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 197 (H.B. 9), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2021. Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 949 (S.B. 1495), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2021. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 369 (H.B. 1442), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2023. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 768 (H.B. 4595), Sec. 17.002, eff. September 1, 2023.