Protecting Places of Religious Worship from Crime

The freedom to gather for worship is not a privilege granted by government but a right that civil authority is duty-bound to protect. Romans 13 describes the governing authority as God's servant, bearing the sword against those who do evil. AB2664 is a concrete expression of that principle: it adds Section 594.38 to the Penal Code, creating specific criminal liability for unlawful acts committed at or against places of religious worship. The American Council supports this bill without reservation.

Houses of worship have faced a documented rise in vandalism, disruption, and targeted criminal conduct in recent years. Churches, synagogues, mosques, and other religious assembly spaces are not merely buildings; they are the gathering places of communities formed by covenant and conscience. When those spaces are violated, the harm extends far beyond property damage. It reaches into the spiritual life of the congregation and sends a signal that their assembly is unwelcome. The law should say plainly that such conduct carries consequences.

This bill does exactly that. By establishing a dedicated statute focused on places of religious worship, the legislature signals that these institutions occupy a recognized and protected place in California's civil order. Targeted statutory language matters: it gives law enforcement a clear framework, signals legislative intent to prosecutors, and communicates to the public that attacks on houses of worship are treated with appropriate seriousness.

The unanimous committee vote on this measure reflects something important: the protection of religious assembly is not a partisan question. It is a basic commitment of ordered civil society. The American Council affirms that government serves its God-ordained function when it shields peaceable religious assembly from criminal interference, and we urge the legislature to send AB2664 to the Governor without delay.