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HLS 26RS-540 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 60
BY REPRESENTATIVE GLORIOSO
CRIME: Provides relative to conduct that constitutes disturbing the peace
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 14:103(C) and to enact R.S. 14:103(A)(9) and (B)(3), relative
3 to offenses affecting the general peace and order; to provide for conduct that
4 constitutes disturbing the peace; to provide for penalties; to provide for definitions;
5 and to provide for related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 14:103(C) is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 14:103(A)(9)
8 and (B)(3) are hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 §103. Disturbing the peace
10 A. Disturbing the peace is the doing of any of the following in such manner
11 as would foreseeably disturb or alarm the public:
12 * * *
13 (9)(a) Intentionally and without lawful authority entering or remaining in a
14 church or other place of worship during a religious gathering or worship service with
15 the intent to create a disturbance, interrupt, or interfere with the worship service and
16 causing a substantial disturbance of the service by any of the following:
17 (i) Violent, tumultuous, or threatening behavior directed at any person
18 lawfully attending, leading, or participating in the service.
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HLS 26RS-540 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 60
1 (ii) Unreasonably loud or abusive language or noise such that the service is
2 materially disrupted, including causing the cessation of the service, a significant
3 delay, or the dispersal of participants.
4 (iii) Interference with the conduct of the service by physical obstruction,
5 intimidation, or threat of force toward clergy, worship leaders, or attendees.
6 (b) For purposes of this Paragraph, a disturbance or interruption is
7 "substantial" when it causes a material disruption of the ability of participants to
8 engage in or continue the religious gathering or worship service, including the
9 cessation of the service, a significant delay, or the dispersal of participants.
10 (c) Nothing in this Paragraph shall be construed to prohibit activity protected
11 by the Constitution of the United States or the Constitution of Louisiana, including
12 peaceful expressive activity conducted in a lawful manner that does not substantially
13 disturb, interrupt, or interfere with a religious gathering or worship service.
14 B.
15 * * *
16 (3)(a) Whoever commits or conspires with another to commit the crime of
17 disturbing the peace as provided in Paragraph (A)(9) of this Section shall be
18 imprisoned with or without hard labor for not more than five years, fined not more
19 than five thousand dollars, or both.
20 (b) Whoever uses a dangerous weapon or inflicts serious bodily injury while
21 committing the crime of disturbing the peace as provided in Paragraph (A)(9) of this
22 Section shall be imprisoned with or without hard labor for not more than ten years,
23 fined not more than ten thousand dollars, or both.
24 (c) Whoever acts in concert with another person while committing the crime
25 of disturbing the peace as provided in Paragraph (A)(9) of this Section shall be
26 imprisoned with or without hard labor for not more than seven years, fined not more
27 than seven thousand five hundred dollars, or both.
28 C. For the purposes of Paragraphs (A)(7) and (8) of this Section, the
29 following terms shall have the following meanings:
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HLS 26RS-540 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 60
1 (1) "Acts in concert" means the formulation of a common plan, agreement,
2 or mutual understanding, whether the plan is formed in advance or during the
3 commission of the offense.
4 (2) "Church or other place of worship" means any building, structure, or
5 place, whether permanently or temporarily used, that is primarily used for religious
6 worship, including the grounds and appurtenant premises.
7 (1) (3) "Funeral" includes a funeral, funeral home viewing, wake, or
8 memorial service.
9 (2) (4) "Funeral route" means the route of ingress or egress from the location
10 of a funeral or burial, including thirty feet from the outer edge of the outside lane of
11 the route.
12 (5) "Religious gathering or worship service" means any assembly, meeting,
13 rite, ceremony, or service held for the purpose of religious worship, prayer,
14 preaching, teaching, or devotion.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 60 Original 2026 Regular Session Glorioso
Abstract: Adds disruption, interruption, or interference with any religious gathering or
worship service at a church or other place of worship as conduct that constitutes
disturbing the peace.
Present law provides for the crime of disturbing the peace and provides for elements and
penalties for this offense.
Proposed law amends present law to add, as conduct that constitutes disturbing the peace,
intentionally and without lawful authority entering or remaining in a church or other place
of worship during a religious gathering or worship service with the intent to create a
disturbance, interrupt, or interfere with the worship service and causing a substantial
disturbance of the service by any of the following:
(1) Violent, tumultuous, or threatening behavior directed at any person lawfully
attending, leading, or participating in the service.
(2) Unreasonably loud or abusive language or noise such that the service is materially
disrupted, including causing the cessation of the service, a significant delay, or the
dispersal of participants.
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HLS 26RS-540 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 60
(3) Interference with the conduct of the service by physical obstruction, intimidation, or
threat of force toward clergy, worship leaders, or attendees.
Proposed law provides the meaning of "substantial" for the purposes of proposed law.
Proposed law provides that nothing in proposed law shall be construed to prohibit activity
protected by the U.S. Constitution or the Constitution of La., including peaceful expressive
activity conducted in a lawful manner that does not substantially disturb, interrupt, or
interfere with a religious gathering or worship service.
Proposed law retains present law penalties generally and adds the following penalties for a
violation of proposed law:
(1) Imprisonment with or without hard labor for not more than five years, a fine of not
more than $5,000, or both. Proposed law also applies this penalty to an offender who
conspires with another person to violate proposed law.
(2) If the offender uses a dangerous weapon or inflicts serious bodily injury,
imprisonment with or without hard labor for not more than 10 years, a fine of not
more than $10,000, or both.
(3) If the offender acts in concert with another person, imprisonment with or without
hard labor for not more than seven years, a fine of not more than $7,500, or both.
Proposed law defines the terms "act in concert", "church or other place of worship", and
"religious gathering or worship service".
(Amends R.S. 14:103(C); Adds R.S. 14:103(A)(9) and (B)(3))
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