Provides relative to conduct that constitutes disturbing the peace (OR SEE FISC NOTE EX)

House Bill 60 amends Louisiana Revised Statutes 14:103 to add a new subsection (A)(9) establishing a specific form of disturbing the peace centered on disruptions to religious gatherings and worship services. The statute creates criminal liability for persons who intentionally and without lawful authority enter or remain in a church or other place of worship during a religious gathering or worship service with the intent to disturb, interrupt, or interfere with that service and who cause a substantial disturbance through violent, tumultuous, or threatening behavior directed at attendees or participants; unreasonably loud or abusive language or noise that materially disrupts the service including causing its cessation, significant delay, or dispersal of participants; or physical obstruction, intimidation, or threat of force toward clergy, worship leaders, or attendees. The statute defines substantial disturbance as causing a material disruption of participants' ability to engage in or continue the religious gathering or worship service, including cessation, significant delay, or dispersal. The bill also provides explicit constitutional protection for lawful peaceful expressive activity that does not substantially disturb the religious gathering or worship service.

The bill establishes graduated penalties applicable to violations of this new subsection depending on the conduct involved. A person who commits the offense or conspires with another to commit it faces imprisonment of up to five years, a fine of up to five thousand dollars, or both. If the offender uses a dangerous weapon or inflicts serious bodily injury while committing the offense, the penalty increases to up to ten years imprisonment, a fine of up to ten thousand dollars, or both. If the offender acts in concert with another person, the penalty is up to seven years imprisonment, a fine of up to seven thousand five hundred dollars, or both. These penalties apply specifically to conduct targeting religious worship services and are distinct from the general disturbing the peace penalties that apply to other forms of such conduct.

The statute operates within the existing framework of Louisiana Revised Statutes 14:103, which provides for the general crime of disturbing the peace. The bill adds necessary definitions to Section (C) of that statute, including definitions of acts in concert, church or other place of worship, and religious gathering or worship service. The language preserving constitutional protections ensures that the statute does not restrict activity protected by the United States Constitution or Louisiana Constitution, which requires careful interpretation of what constitutes substantial interference as opposed to lawful peaceful expression. The addition of this specific conduct to the disturbing the peace statute provides enhanced protection for religious institutions and their congregants while maintaining the constitutional guardrails necessary to prevent the statute from chilling protected speech or assembly.