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Senate Engrossed House Bill
disturbing religious services; worship (now: interfering with religious service) |
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State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-seventh Legislature Second Regular Session 2026
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HOUSE BILL 4117 |
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AN ACT
AMENDING TITLE 13, CHAPTER 29, ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES, BY ADDING SECTION 13-2925; RELATING TO OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC ORDER.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 13, chapter 29, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 13-2925, to read:
13-2925. Interfering with a religious service or religious activity; exception; classification; definitions
A. A person commits interfering with a religious service or religious activity if, without legal authority, the person intentionally interferes with a religious service or religious activity by intentionally doing either of the following:
1. Obstructing, blocking or impeding another person's ability to enter or exit a place of religious worship.
2. Making any protracted commotion, utterance or display in a place of religious worship that disrupts a religious service or religious activity.
B. This section does not apply to either of the following:
1. Peaceful picketing, protesting or other expressive activity.
2. A law enforcement officer, a first responder or any other authorized person who is acting within the scope of the person's official duties.
C. interfering with a religious service or religious activity is a class 1 misdemeanor except that it is a class 6 felony if any of the following applies:
1. The person has been previously convicted of a violation of this section.
2. The person used force, threats of force or physical intimidation in the commission of the offense.
3. The person, with two or more other persons acting together, commits a violation of subsection A, paragraph 1 of this section.
E. For the purposes of this section:
1. "Obstructing, blocking or impeding" means to render passage impassable or unreasonably difficult or hazardous.
2. "Physical intimidation" means to place a person in reasonable apprehension of physical injury to oneself or another person.
3. "Place of religious worship" means a privately owned building, structure or designated location where people assemble for a religious service or religious activity.