The Right to Worship Act makes it a federal crime to knowingly disrupt religious services or prevent people from entering houses of worship. The law applies within 100 feet of any entrance to a house of worship during the hour before through the hour after a scheduled religious service, and it covers any conduct that substantially affects interstate commerce. The bill defines "disruption" based on how conduct is carried out (volume, duration, frequency) rather than its content, preserving free speech protections for peaceful protest. Violators face civil fines of $2,500 for a first offense, $5,000 for a second offense, and $10,000 for each subsequent offense, while victims may pursue civil lawsuits seeking damages up to $5,000 per violation plus attorney fees. The Attorney General and state attorneys general are authorized to enforce the law on behalf of the public interest.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.