AB 2664 would create a 100-foot buffer zone around California houses of worship, barring anyone from approaching within 8 feet of a worshipper to harass, threaten, or intimidate them, with criminal penalties for violations.
Assembly Bill 2664, authored by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, would add Section 594.38 to the California Penal Code to protect access to houses of worship. The bill creates a buffer zone within 100 feet of a house of worship's entrance or exit, inside which a person may not approach within 8 feet of another person to leaflet, protest, or otherwise harass, obstruct, threaten, or intimidate a worshipper. Violations would carry criminal penalties.
The free exercise of religion depends on the ability of congregants to enter and leave their houses of worship without harassment or intimidation. AB 2664 targets unlawful conduct at the doors of a church, synagogue, mosque, or temple, not speech or belief, and applies equally to worshippers of any faith. For The American Council, protecting this access is a core religious liberty concern.
AB 2664 passed the Assembly floor 61-2 on May 26, 2026, and cleared the Senate Public Safety Committee 5-0 on June 16 before being placed on the Senate Appropriations Committee's suspense file, where it passed 7-0 on June 29, 2026. The bill remains in Senate Appropriations and awaits further committee action before a possible floor vote.
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