SF5016

Purpose

This bill aims to improve public safety by protecting religious gatherings. It creates a specific crime called disruption of worship services, focusing on conduct inside religious establishments during scheduled services.

Main Provisions

• Creates a new Subdivision 2a to Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 609.28, defining “Disruption of worship services prohibited.”
• Offense details:
  • First offense: A person who enters a religious establishment with the intent to disrupt a worship service (which has a scheduled starting time) and commits a crime inside is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
  • Second or subsequent offense: The same conduct on a later occasion is a felony, with potential penalties of up to five years in prison, or a fine of up to $10,000, or both.

Changes to Existing Law

• Adds Subd. 2a to Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 609.28 to establish a new crime specifically targeting disruption of worship services inside religious establishments during scheduled services.
• Establishes a two-tier penalty structure: gross misdemeanor for a first offense; felony for subsequent offenses, with corresponding imprisonment and fine limits.

Enforcement and Implications

• The law focuses on individuals who enter a religious establishment with the intent to disrupt and commit a crime during a worship service.
• It creates stricter consequences for repeat offenses, signaling a higher penalty for ongoing or repeated disruption of religious gatherings.

Relevant Terms disruption of worship services, religious establishment, worship service, scheduled starting time, gross misdemeanor, felony, imprisonment, fine, not more than five years, not more than $10,000, Minnesota Statutes 609.28, Subd. 2a