SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Senator Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) in partnership with The American Council, introduced legislation to strengthen protections for people of every religious background who gather for worship in California. SB 1070 updates California Penal Code Section 302, which addresses intentional disruptions of religious worship at tax-exempt places of worship.
“With more and more aggressive disruptions targeting religious gatherings across California and nationwide, we must act to safeguard the constitutional rights to free exercise of religion and peaceful assembly,” said Senator Shannon Grove. “This bill treats ALL places of worship as the sacred spaces they are by allowing courts to use their discretion to charge perpetrators with a felony for serious or repeated conduct that interrupts worship.”
What they’re saying:
"Thank you for your efforts to bring this bill forward. I think it is really important to be able to ensure safe, peaceful, and uninterrupted religious worship. Respect for the sanctity of worship has been violated; a bill such as this can help bring back the respect and awe that religious worship deserves." -Rabbi Yossi Korik, Chabad JCC of Placer County
"In a time when our nation feels more divided, more hostile, and more reactive, the one place people should be able to gather without fear is a place of worship whether it’s a church, synagogue, mosque, temple, or any other faith community." - Dean Deguara, Real Life Church Sacramento
“Freedom of worship is not a partisan value; it is a human and civil right. This bill is about ensuring that families and congregations, regardless of tradition or denomination, can gather without fear of being intentionally disrupted.” - Tanner DiBella, The American Council President
Current California law makes it a misdemeanor to intentionally disturb an assemblage at a tax-exempt place of worship through profane discourse, rude or indecent behavior, or unnecessary noise, with penalties limited to a fine of up to $1,000, up to one year in county jail, or both regardless of severity, duration, or coordination.
Under U.S. law, places of worship are private property, even when open to the public for services. Property owners retain the right to set rules for conduct and remove disruptive individuals. The U.S. Supreme Court has held that such property does not become a public forum merely by being open to the public. Courts recognize that speech protected outside a building does not automatically enjoy the same protection inside a sanctuary during worship. Laws prohibiting intentional disruptions regulate conduct, not viewpoint, and protect worshippers’ rights.
Across California, places of worship face rising targeted disruptions during services. A national report documented more than 415 hostile acts against churches in 2024, with California reporting the highest number at 40 incidents. These extend beyond peaceful protests on public sidewalks to include obstruction, intimidation, and deliberate interference inside sanctuaries or at access points.
Recent California examples include:
September 7, 2025 – San Diego County (Christian and Jewish Alliance): Agitators blocked entrances, used high-decibel sirens for three hours, shouted hostile slogans, and intimidated congregants. One attendee was pushed into a busy street, disrupting worship and requiring law enforcement intervention.
March 19, 2025 – Carlsbad (The Mission Church): Agitators posed as attendees, shouted hostile nicknames, interrupted prayers, and used amplified sound devices outside to prevent participation.
March 1, 2025 – Los Angeles (Adas Torah Synagogue): A violent mob used intimidation and obstruction to prevent access to a synagogue.
The bill would create a wobbler offense for intentional disruptions of religious worship, allowing prosecutors to charge serious, coordinated, or repeated disturbances as a felony while preserving misdemeanor options for less severe cases. Felony penalties include a fine of up to $5,000, county jail for 16 months, two years, or three years, or both.
This approach recognizes the sacred nature of places of worship, increases deterrence, and gives courts flexibility to impose fair punishments that protect public safety and religious rights.
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