The Alabama House passed House Bill 363 (HB363) on Tuesday by a vote of 75 yeas, 27 nays and 2 abstentions, advancing legislation that would make knowingly disrupting a scheduled worship service a Class C felony under state law.
Sponsored by Rep. Greg Barnes (R-Jasper), the bill establishes the new offense of “disruption of a worship service.” Under the provisions of HB363, a person would be guilty of the crime if, during a scheduled service, they knowingly enter a church building or adjoining property with the intent to disrupt the service and then engage in activities such as unlawful protest, riot, disorderly conduct or harassment of worshipers. The measure also covers obstruction of ingress or egress to the church property during a service — conduct not separately criminalized under current State law.
If enacted, HB363 would impose a Class C felony penalty, which in Alabama can include a prison term of up to 10 years and potential fines — a significant jump from existing misdemeanor-level responses to disorderly conduct or trespass…