Kansas2026Passed Legislature
HB2018
Law Against Interfering with Religious Gatherings
Last scannedAug 24, 2026, 9:52 AM
In one sentence
This law makes it a crime to use force, threats, or physical blocks to stop people from attending religious services in Kansas and allows victims to sue for money.
What it does
- Creates the new crime of interfering with a religious assembly by using force, threat of force, or physical obstruction to injure, intimidate, or interfere with someone exercising their right to worship.
- Makes it a crime to recklessly damage, deface, or destroy property at a place of worship (excluding fire or explosives).
- Defines aggravated interference as committing the act while possessing a firearm or weapon that is illegal under state law.
- Sets criminal penalties ranging from misdemeanors for minor property damage up to felonies based on whether people were harmed and how much property was damaged.
- Allows injured individuals to file civil lawsuits in state court against those who committed the offense.
- Permits courts to award actual damages, punitive damages up to three times that amount, or a fixed $5,000 per violation instead of actual damages.
- Gives the Attorney General authority to prosecute these cases if they are part of criminal conduct occurring in two or more counties.
Who it affects
- People who attend religious services at places of worship in Kansas
- Individuals accused of blocking access, intimidating people, or damaging property at religious sites
- The state Attorney General and county prosecutors handling criminal charges across multiple counties
- Courts that hear civil lawsuits filed by victims
Limits and unknowns
- The law takes effect after it is published in the statute book.
- Civil lawsuits must be filed within five years of discovering the violation or finishing a related criminal case, whichever happens later.
- This state law exists alongside federal laws and does not stop victims from using other legal remedies available to them.
Plain language
Terms to know
- Physical obstruction
- Making it impossible to enter or leave a place of worship, or making the passage unreasonably difficult or hazardous.
- Intimidate
- Causing someone to reasonably fear they will be physically hurt.
- Severity level felony
- A serious crime in Kansas where the punishment depends on a numbered severity scale, with lower numbers meaning harsher penalties.
Official record
Sources
Official summary
Senate Substitute for HB 2018 by Committee on Federal and State Affairs - Creating the crime of interference with the conduct of a religious assembly, providing criminal penalties therefor and providing for a civil cause of action for damages.
Official activity
Bill history
- Will become law without Governor's signatureHouse
- Enrolled and presented to Governor on Friday, April 3, 2026House
- Concurred with amendments in conference; Yea 106, Nay 14, Absent 5House
- Motion to accede adopted; Sen. Mike Thompson , Sen. Tory Marie Blew and Sen. Oletha Faust Goudeau appointed as confereesSenate
- Nonconcurred with amendments; Conference Committee requested; appointed Rep. Tom Kessler , Rep. Rebecca Schmoe and Rep. Heather MeyerHouse
- Final Action - Substitute passed; Yea 34, Nay 6Senate
- Committee of the Whole - Substitute bill be passedSenate
- Committee of the Whole - Committee Report be adopted recommending substitute bill be passedSenate
- Committee Report recommending substitute bill be passed by Senate Committee on Federal and State AffairsSenate
- Referred to Senate Committee on Federal and State AffairsSenate