Senate panel advances bill criminalizing signal jammers, citing public‑safety risks

Senate Judiciary Committee members voted unanimously to advance Senate Bill 470, the Emergency and Public Safety Signal Protection Act, which would create a felony for possessing, distributing or using devices that block communications, according to the bill’s author and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

The bill’s sponsor told the committee the measure defines communication signals and critical infrastructure, and would criminalize attempts to interfere with cellular, Wi‑Fi, GPS, satellite and other communications. Penalties in the draft include a felony sentence of one to seven years and fines beginning at $10,000, the sponsor said.

Philip Curtis, an attorney with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, told the committee he agreed with the bill’s scope and stood ready to answer technical questions. The bill also includes carve‑outs for authorized uses by federal or state agencies in controlled settings such as prisons or airports.

Committee members asked no substantive questions and voted to pass the committee substitute unanimously. The bill now moves to the next stage of the legislative process.

If enacted, supporters said, the measure is intended to give prosecutors a tool to deter actors who use signal‑blocking devices to disable alarms, prevent 911 calls or hamper emergency responses. The committee did not record an amendment to the bill during the hearing.