Official Summary Text
HB4117 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet
A
RIZONA
S
TATE
S
ENATE
MICHELLE YOUNG
LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH INTERN
ZACK DEAN
LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH ANALYST
JUDICIARY & ELECTIONS
COMMITTEE
Telephone: (602) 926-3171
RESEARCH
STAFF
TO:����������������� MEMBERS
OF THE SENATE
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JUDICIARY & ELECTIONS COMMITTEE
DATE:����������� March
23, 2026
SUBJECT:�����
Strike
everything amendment to
H.B. 4117
, relating to disturbing
religious services; worship
Purpose
Establishes the
criminal classification of
interfering with a religious service or activity
,
which a person commits by intentionally obstructing another person's ability to
enter or exit a place of religious worship or by engaging in conduct that
constitutes disorderly conduct and that disrupts a religious service or
activity. Classifies
interfering with a religious service or activity
as
a class 1 misdemeanor, with certain outlined exceptions.
Background
A person commits
disorderly conduct
by, with intent to disturb the
peace or quiet of a neighborhood, family or person or with knowledge of doing
so, such person: 1) engages in fighting, violent or seriously disruptive
behavior; 2) makes unreasonable noise; 3) uses abusive or offensive language or
gestures to any person present in a manner likely to provoke immediate physical
retaliation by such person; 4) makes any protracted commotion, utterance or
display with the intent to prevent the transaction of the business of a lawful
meeting, gathering or procession; 5) refuses to obey a lawful order to disperse
issued to maintain public safety in dangerous proximity to a fire, a hazardous
or any other emergency; or 6) recklessly handles, displays or discharges a
deadly weapon or dangerous instrument.
Disorderly conduct
is classified
as a class 1 misdemeanor, except that
disorderly conduct
involving
recklessly handling, displaying or discharging a deadly weapon or dangerous
instrument is a class 6 felony (
A.R.S.
� 13-2904
).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund
associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1.
Establishes
the criminal classification of
interfering with a religious service or
activity
, which a person commits by intentionally doing either of the
following without legal authority:
a)
obstructing, blocking or impeding another person's ability to enter or
exit a place of religious worship; or
b)
engaging
in conduct that constitutes disorderly conduct and that disrupts a religious
service or activity.
2.
Specifies
that
interfering with a religious service or activity
does not apply to:
a)
peaceful picketing, protesting or other expressive activity; or
b)
a
law enforcement officer, a first responder or any other authorized person who
is acting within the scope of the person's official duties.
3.
Specifies that a person does not need to be charged with or convicted of
disorderly conduct
to be found in violation of
interfering with a
religious service or activity
.
4.
Classifies
interfering with a religious service or activity
as a class 1
misdemeanor, except that it is a class 6 felony if either of the following
applies:
a)
the person has been previously convicted of
interfering with a
religious service or activity
; or
b)
during commission of the offense, the person either:
i.
acted in concert with another person; or
ii.
used force, threats of force or physical intimidation.
5.
Defines
in concert with another person
as acting together with
one or more persons pursuant to a shared intent or agreement, whether explicit
or implicit, that at least one of them or another person will engage in conduct
that constitutes an offense.
6.
Defines
obstruct
as rendering passage unreasonably difficult or hazardous by
doing either of the following:
a)
standing, sitting, lying down or placing an object in order to
physically block or restrict movement; or
b)
preventing
the free passage of a person or vehicle.
7.
Defines
place of religious worship
as either of the following:
a)
a building, structure or designated location where people regularly
assemble for a religious service or activity; or
b)
any
location, whether public or private, when an organized religious service or
activity is occurring or is about to occur.
8.
Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
HB4117 - 572R - H Ver
House Engrossed
disturbing religious
services; worship
State of Arizona
House of Representatives
Fifty-seventh Legislature
Second Regular Session
2026
HOUSE BILL 4117
AN
ACT
AMENDING TITLE 13, CHAPTER 29, ARIZONA
REVISED STATUTES, BY ADDING SECTION 13-2931; RELATING TO OFFENSES AGAINST
PUBLIC ORDER.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it
enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 13, chapter 29, Arizona
Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 13-2931, to read:
START_STATUTE
13-2931.
Disturbing a religious service; classification
A. A person commits disturbing a
religious service by knowingly disturbing or disquieting, by the person's
indecent behavior, profane discourse or unnecessary noise, any assemblage of
persons who have met for religious worship either within the place where the
religious service is held or so near it as to disturb the order and solemnity
of the religious service.
b. Disturbing a religious service is
a class 1 misdemeanor.
END_STATUTE