West Virginia SB1026: Increasing criminal penalties and fines for disturbing religious worship

What the bill says

An act to amend and reenact §61-6-13 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to increasing the criminal penalties and fines for disturbing religious worship; clarifying that this section does not prohibit conduct protected by the First Amendment; and removing antiquated language. article 6. Crimes against the peace. §61-6-13. Disturbance of religious worship; penalty. (a) If any person willfully interrupts, obstructs, or substantially disturbs any assembly of people meeting for religious worship, he or she is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be confined in j.

From the enrolled text, March 14, 2026:

AN ACT to amend and reenact §61-6-13 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to increasing the criminal penalties and fines for disturbing religious worship; clarifying that this section does not prohibit conduct protected by the First Amendment; and removing antiquated language. article 6. Crimes against the peace. §61-6-13. Disturbance of religious worship; penalty. (a) If any person willfully interrupts, obstructs, or substantially disturbs any assembly of people meeting for religious worship, he or she is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be confined in jail not more than one year and fined not less than $250 nor more than $1,000 for each violation. (b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit peaceful picketing, protest, or other expressive conduct protected by the First Amendment that does not willfully interrupt, obstruct, or substantially disturb any assembly of persons meeting for religious worship. The Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Delegates hereby certify that the foregoing bill is correctly enrolled. ............................................................... Clerk of the Senate ............................................................... Clerk of the House of Delegates Originated in the Senate. In effect 90 days from passage. ............................................................... President of the Senate ............................................................... Speaker of the House of Delegates __________ The within is ................................................ this the........................................... Day of ..........................................................................................................., 2026. ............................................................. Governor