SF4396

Purpose

• Establish a new criminal offense to protect religious gatherings by prohibiting disruption of worship services.

Main Provisions

• Adds a new subdivision (Subd. 2a) to Minnesota Statutes section 609.28: Disruption of worship services prohibited.
• First offense: If a person enters a religious establishment with the intent to disrupt a worship service that has a scheduled starting time and commits a crime inside the establishment, that person is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
• Subsequent offenses: A second or later violation of the above is a felony, with potential punishment of up to five years in prison or a fine up to $10,000, or both.

Significance and Impact

• Creates a clear criminal penalty for disrupting worship services, with a tiered structure: gross misdemeanor for a first offense and felony for repeat offenses.
• Expands Minnesota’s criminal code to specifically address disruptions within religious establishments during scheduled worship services.

Relationship to Existing Law

• This is an amendment to Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 609.28, adding a new subdivision (Subd. 2a) that defines and penalizes disruption of worship services.

Practical Considerations

• Focuses on both the act of entry with disruptive intent and the commission of a crime within the religious setting during a service.
• Introduces harsher penalties for repeat violations, signaling a stronger response to ongoing or repeated disruptions.

Relevant Terms disruption of worship services, religious establishment, worship service, scheduled starting time, gross misdemeanor, felony, imprisonment, fine, second or subsequent time, Minnesota Statutes 609.28