H.R. 10052: Right to Worship Act

This bill would create a federal law aimed at protecting religious services from being disrupted or blocked at places of worship.

What conduct would be prohibited

The bill would make it unlawful for a person to, in a way that affects interstate commerce, engage in conduct within 100 feet of an entrance to a house of worship during a narrow time window around a scheduled religious service:

• from 1 hour before the service starts until 1 hour after it ends,
• if the person knowingly disrupts the service, or
• if the person knowingly impedes people from entering or participating in the service.

It would also prohibit conspiring with someone else to do this, or causing another person to do it.

How the bill defines key terms

• House of worship: a place or space that religious followers or leaders recognize as a regular gathering place for religious services.
• Religious service: worship, prayer, classes, or other religious events where people gather to practice their religion.
• Disrupt: conduct that meaningfully interferes with participation in the service and substantially interrupts normal operation.
• Impede: conduct that unreasonably hinders or deters someone from entering, or that threatens or intimidates someone in a way that prevents participation.
• Knowingly: the person is aware, or reasonably should be aware, that their conduct will cause the disruption or impediment.

The bill says that whether conduct counts as a disruption would be judged by how it is carried out, such as its volume, duration, frequency, and impact, not by the content of the speech itself.

What it would not do

• It would not require a house of worship to publicly post its service schedule.
• It would not stop people from speaking on any subject, so long as they comply with the law’s time, place, and manner limits.
• It would not stop participation in activities that already have a federal, state, or local permit.

Penalties and enforcement

The bill would allow the Attorney General to assess civil fines for violations:

• $2,500 for a first offense
• $5,000 for a second offense
• $10,000 per incident for third and later offenses

It would also allow people harmed by a violation to sue in federal court. Courts could award injunctions, compensatory and punitive damages, and legal fees. In some cases, a person could choose statutory damages of $5,000 per violation instead of proving actual damages.

The U.S. Attorney General could also bring a civil case if there is reason to believe someone is being, has been, or may be harmed by a violation. State attorneys general could bring similar cases on behalf of residents of their state.

Relevant Companies

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