2023 CODE OF GEORGIA › Title 16 - CRIMES AND OFFENSES (§§ 16-1-1 — 16-17-10) › Chapter 5 - CRIMES AGAINST THE PERSON (§§ 16-5-1 — 16-5-110) › Article 2 - ASSAULT AND BATTERY (§§ 16-5-19 — 16-5-29) › Section 16-5-24 - Aggravated battery

(a)
A person commits the offense of aggravated battery when he or she maliciously causes bodily harm to another by depriving him or her of a member of his or her body, by rendering a member of his or her body useless, or by seriously disfiguring his or her body or a member thereof.
(b)
Except as provided in subsections (c) through (i) of this Code section, a person convicted of the offense of aggravated battery shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than 20 years.
(c)
(1)
A person who knowingly commits the offense of aggravated battery upon a public safety officer while the public safety officer is engaged in, or on account of the performance of, his or her official duties shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by imprisonment for not less than ten nor more than 20 years; provided, however, that for persons who are at least 17 years of age, a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of three years shall be imposed and no portion of the mandatory minimum sentence shall be suspended, stayed, probated, deferred, or otherwise withheld by the sentencing court; provided, however, that in the court's discretion, the court may depart from such mandatory minimum sentence when the prosecuting attorney and defendant have agreed to a sentence that is below such mandatory minimum.
(2)
A person convicted under this subsection shall be punished, in addition to any term of imprisonment imposed, by a fine as provided by law which shall be at least $2,000.00. With respect to $2,000.00 of the fine imposed, after distributing the surcharges and deductions required by Chapter 21 of Title 15, Code Sections
36-15-9
and
42-8-34
, and Title 47, it shall be earmarked for the Georgia State Indemnification Fund for purposes of payment of indemnification for death or disability as provided for in Part 1 of Article 5 of Chapter 9 of Title 45.
(d)
Any person who commits the offense of aggravated battery against a person who is 65 years of age or older shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by imprisonment for not less than five nor more than 20 years.
(e)
Any person who commits the offense of aggravated battery in a public transit vehicle or station shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by imprisonment for not less than five nor more than 20 years.
(f)
Any person who commits the offense of aggravated battery upon a student or teacher or other school personnel within a school safety zone as defined in Code Section
16-11-127.1
shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by imprisonment for not less than five nor more than 20 years.
(g)
If the offense of aggravated battery is committed between past or present spouses, persons who are parents of the same child, parents and children, stepparents and stepchildren, foster parents and foster children, or other persons excluding siblings living or formerly living in the same household, the defendant shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than three nor more than 20 years.
(h)
A person who commits the offense of aggravated battery upon an emergency health worker or healthcare worker while such worker is on a hospital campus, as such term is defined in Code Section
31-54-1
, to perform official duties shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by imprisonment for not less than three nor more than 20 years.
(i)
Any person who commits the offense of aggravated battery upon a utility worker while such worker is acting within the course and scope of their employment or is performing official duties at the time of the offense shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by imprisonment for not less than three nor more than 20 years.
Amended by 2024 Ga. Laws 566,§ 7, eff. 5/6/2024, app. all offenses committed on or after 7/1/2024.
Amended by 2023 Ga. Laws 224,§ 4, eff. 7/1/2023, app. to all offenses committed on or after 7/1/2023.
Amended by 2017 Ga. Laws 198,§ 3-3, eff. 7/1/2017.
Amended by 2016 Ga. Laws 492,§ 2, eff. 7/1/2016.
Amended by 2014 Ga. Laws 604,§ 3-2, eff. 7/1/2014.
Amended by 2014 Ga. Laws 575,§ 2-3, eff. 7/1/2014.
Amended by 2003 Ga. Laws 9, § 16, eff. 5/14/2003.