Senate Bill 1070 is a focused, practical update to California Penal Code Section 302 that protects the right of every faith community to gather for worship without intentional disruption. Current law already prohibits conduct that disturbs a worship service through profane discourse, rude or indecent behavior, or unnecessary noise, but it limits every case to a misdemeanor even when the disruption is serious, coordinated, or repeated. SB 1070 keeps the existing standard, intentional disruption of worship, and adds a felony option so prosecutors and courts can respond proportionally when the conduct rises to a higher level of harm.&nbsp;
In March, the California Senate Public Safety Committee will vote on SB 1070. This committee hearing is the key gatekeeping moment for the bill. The measure was introduced on February 13, 2026, and referred to the Senate Public Safety Committee on February 26, 2026, with legislative timing that allows action in March 2026. Our advocacy campaign is urging committee members to vote yes, so California can affirm a simple principle: houses of worship should be able to proceed in peace for churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, and every other faith tradition.&nbsp;
What SB 1070 does
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<li>It strengthens enforcement by making the offense a wobbler, meaning it can be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony based on the severity, pattern, or coordination of the disruption.&nbsp;</li>
<li>It increases potential felony penalties up to a $5,000 fine and 16 months, 2 years, or 3 years in county jail, while preserving misdemeanor options for lower-level cases.&nbsp;</li>
<li>It targets conduct that intentionally disrupts worship, not beliefs or viewpoints, and it reinforces the right of religious assemblies to gather without interference inside their places of worship.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Urge the CA Senate Public Safety Committee to Protect Churches in California. 

Dear Chair and Members of the California Senate Public Safety Committee,

I am writing to respectfully urge your support for Senate Bill 1070 as you consider it. SB 1070 is a measured public safety proposal that strengthens California’s ability to protect the freedom of religious worship by ensuring meaningful consequences for those who intentionally disrupt services in houses of worship.

California already recognizes that worship gatherings deserve special protection. Current law prohibits intentionally disturbing or disquieting a religious meeting through profane discourse, rude or indecent behavior, or unnecessary noise. Yet the current statute limits enforcement to misdemeanor treatment in every circumstance, even when the disruption is severe, repeated, coordinated, or clearly intended to intimidate a congregation. SB 1070 addresses that gap by allowing prosecutors and courts to respond proportionally based on the facts of a case.

This bill is also broadly inclusive. The right to worship peacefully belongs to every faith tradition in California. Churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, and other religious assemblies should not have to choose between continuing a service and protecting their people when intentional disruption occurs. SB 1070 sends a clear message that California will defend religious liberty not only as a principle, but as a lived reality for communities across the state.

Public safety is not only about what happens on the street. It is also about whether Californians can gather in peace without being targeted in vulnerable spaces. Houses of worship are, by definition, places where people come seeking refuge, consolation, counsel, and community. When those spaces are intentionally disrupted, the harm is not merely inconvenience. It can quickly become a source of intimidation, trauma, and a breakdown of public order.

For these reasons, I respectfully ask you to vote yes on SB 1070 and advance it out of committee. Thank you for your service to the people of California and for your consideration of this important safeguard for religious worship and community safety.