HB 1606: Crimes; offense of disruption of a worship service; provide

Currently Georgia law does not have a specific crime targeting interference with religious services, though related offenses like riot, disorderly conduct, and harassment already exist. This bill adds a new section to Georgia's criminal code (O.C.G.A. § 16-11-34.3) that makes it a specific crime to disrupt a scheduled worship service. The bill defines terms like church, worship service, and unlawful protest, and lists five specific actions that would count as the crime: entering a church to disrupt a service, blocking entry or exit to church property, rioting or engaging in disorderly conduct inside a church, harassing a worship participant, or obstructing access to the church. A conviction could bring a fine of up to $5,000, one to five years in prison, or both. The law would take effect July 1, 2026.

• Creates a new criminal offense of disruption of a worship service under Georgia law, punishable by up to $5,000 in fines and one to five years in prison, or both.
• Defines a church broadly to include church buildings, mosques, synagogues, and other religious real property.
• Lists five specific intentional acts that qualify as disruption, including entering a church to disrupt a service and blocking entry or exit to church property.
• Incorporates existing definitions of riot, disorderly conduct, and harassment from other Georgia code sections to define what counts as disruptive conduct.
• Sets an effective date of July 1, 2026 for the new offense.

People attending or protesting near religious services, church congregations and religious organizations, law enforcement who would enforce the new crime, and individuals charged under the new statute who could face fines and prison time.

Georgians who protest, demonstrate, or otherwise gather near churches during services could face criminal charges and prison time if their conduct is found to obstruct access or disrupt worship, while churches would gain a specific legal tool to address interference with their services.

• Section 1 states legislative findings that protecting worship services from willful disruption is a matter of statewide concern, framed alongside free exercise and free speech rights.
• Section 2 adds new Code Section 16-11-34.3, defining terms including church, harassment, riot, unlawful protest, and worship service.
• Subsection (b) defines the crime as intentionally entering a church to disrupt a service, blocking ingress or egress, engaging in unlawful protest or disorderly conduct inside the church, harassing a participant, or obstructing access.
• Subsection (c) sets the penalty at a fine of up to $5,000, imprisonment of one to five years, or both.
• Section 3 sets the effective date as July 1, 2026.
• Section 4 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-04-02House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-03-31House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-03-27House Hopper (House)

• David Clark (R, HD-100)Primary sponsor
• Houston Gaines (R, HD-120)
• Tim Fleming (R, HD-114)
• Mitchell Horner (R, HD-003)
• Josh Bonner (R, HD-073)

• religious freedom
• criminal law
• church security
• protest rights
• public safety