Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, a California state Assembly member, introduced a bill to make 100-foot, protest-free buffer zones around entrances and exits to houses of worship.
“Every Californian deserves to practice their faith without fear,” the Jewish representative said. “The rise in antisemitism and targeted harassment outside houses of worship is deeply alarming and deeply personal to me.”
Under the bill, it would be illegal to approach within eight feet of someone near an entrance or exit to a house of worship to “either pass a leaflet or handbill to, display a sign to or engage in oral protest or education or to harass, obstruct, threaten or intimidate the person or occupant.” (The bill notes that this includes vehicle occupants.)
First-time violators would face misdemeanors, with fines up to $10,000 and up to a year in a jail. For a second violation, fines would go up to $25,000 and there would remain a potential jail term up to a year.
“At a moment when too many faith communities are being targeted, we must stand together,” stated David Bocarsly, executive director of Jewish California. “We look forward to building a broad interfaith coalition to make California’s houses of worship safe for everyone.”
A similar bill, which was proposed in the New York City Council earlier this year, drew support from Jewish groups. Some opponents alleged that it violated free speech.
