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Bill to Create 100-Foot Buffer Zones Around Places of Worship Introduced in U.S. Congress
A bipartisan SACRED Act was introduced in the U.S. Congress by Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) and Rep. Max Miller (R-OH). The bill would establish a 100-foot buffer around places of worship and make harassment within that area a federal crime. It specifies that intimidation, obstruction, or approaching within eight feet for harassment could be prosecutable.
Why It Matters
If enacted, the bill would formally protect access to religious worship by creating a defined buffer zone and criminalizing harassment in those zones, potentially affecting conduct near places of worship nationwide.
Timeline
1 Event
Introduction of SACRED Act in U.S. Congress
April 28, 2026
A bipartisan bill named the Safeguarding Access to Congregations and Religious Establishments from Disruption (SACRED) Act was introduced in the U.S. Congress by Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) and Rep. Max Miller (R-OH). The measure would create a 100-foot buffer zone around places of worship, including temples and gurdwaras, and would make any harassment or intimidation within such areas a federal crime. It specifies that intentionally intimidating, obstructing, or harassing people exercising their right to religious worship within 100 feet could involve threats, blocked paths, or approaching within eight feet for the purpose of harassment or intimidation.