Federal law shields religious worship from harassment and intimidation.

What it does

This bill creates federal criminal and civil penalties for harassment, intimidation, or obstruction of people entering or exiting places of religious worship within 100 feet of the building. It allows victims and their congregations to sue for damages (including $5,000 per violation in statutory damages), and empowers the U.S. Attorney General and state attorneys general to bring civil enforcement actions. First offenses carry up to one year in prison; subsequent offenses up to three years (or longer if bodily injury or death results).

Why we flagged it

The bill's core mechanism is straightforward: it creates federal criminal and civil remedies to protect people exercising the right to religious worship from harassment, intimidation, and obstruction. This is a public-safety and civil-rights measure, not a tax provision, subsidy, or deregulation.

What the text implies

• The 100-foot buffer zone may affect protest activity on public sidewalks or streets adjacent to religious buildings, depending on how courts interpret 'within 100 feet' and the interaction with First Amendment protections for peaceful demonstration.
• The definition of 'harass' includes conduct causing 'substantial emotional distress,' which is a broader standard than physical threat and may capture speech or conduct courts would otherwise protect as expressive.
• Civil liability includes statutory damages of $5,000 per violation with no cap, potentially creating exposure for multiple defendants in group protest scenarios.
• State attorneys general gain parens patriae standing to sue on behalf of residents, which may enable state-level enforcement that varies widely depending on state political composition.

Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.

Who it affects

The bill protects a fundamental right (religious assembly and worship) by creating enforceable legal remedies against harassment and intimidation. Worshippers and congregations gain standing to sue for damages and statutory remedies, and federal criminal penalties deter conduct that interferes with access to places of worship. The bill's carve-out for peaceful picketing and protected expressive conduct outside places of worship preserves First Amendment protections for protest.

Named in the bill

U.S. Attorney General, State Attorneys General, Places of religious worship, 18 U.S.C. Chapter 13

Where it stands

16 cosponsors: 9 Republicans, 7 Democrats.

• Apr 9, 2026 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
• Apr 9, 2026 — Referred to House Committee on the Judiciary · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.

Money around this bill

5 lobbying clients named this bill on 5 disclosure filings across 1 quarter, Jun 2026 to Jun 2026. Those filings disclosed $1,091,376 in lobbying spend. A filing names 48 bills on average, so that figure is what each filing reported, not a share belonging to this bill.

More lobbying clients named this bill than 78% of bills with at least one filing.

Thomas Suozzi, the sponsor, reported $1,650,405 in PAC receipts in the 2026 cycle.

• Susan B Anthony List — $420,000 on 1 filing
• Anti-defamation League — $320,000 on 1 filing
• J Street — $170,000 on 1 filing
• Jewish Federations of North America — $121,376 on 1 filing
• Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, Inc. — $60,000 on 1 filing

Lobbying Disclosure Act filings through Jul 20, 2026. A filing shows who paid to lobby on a bill it names, not what changed.