Bipartisan members of Congress have introduced the Right to Worship Act, a bill that would establish 100-foot safe access zones around houses of worship. The legislation, introduced by Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) along with Representatives Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) and Brad Knott (R-N.C.), intends to prohibit conduct that disrupts religious services or prevents individuals from attending them.
The federal proposal follows a series of reported incidents at religious sites across the country. In 2025, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a non-governmental organization that tracks hate crimes, documented nearly 530 incidents of harassment at U.S. synagogues. Reported events include a physical assault at Central Synagogue in New York City, a protest involving 200 people at Park East Synagogue, and an incident in Los Angeles where two individuals were arrested for battery and destruction of property at Wilshire Boulevard Temple.
Beyond the Jewish community, the ADL cited the burning of a Latter-day Saints church in Michigan last fall and a shooting in May at a San Diego mosque that resulted in three deaths. Supporters of the new bill argue that current federal protections are insufficient to address non-violent conduct that is intended to intimidate or obstruct worshippers. The legislation seeks to balance the First Amendment rights of protesters with the religious freedom of congregants.
For a person attending a religious service, the concrete day-to-day change would be the enforcement of a 100-foot perimeter where disruptive conduct or the intentional obstruction of passage would be legally prohibited. This would change how protests are conducted near religious sites, as demonstrators would be required to remain outside the designated safe zone. The bill aims to provide a uniform federal standard, supplementing existing local and state laws already passed in New York, Maryland, and Arizona.
The knock-on effects of the bill could set a legal precedent for how the government regulates the intersection of free speech and religious practice in public spaces. By creating specific federal safe zones, the act could influence future policy regarding other types of sensitive facilities. As of August 22, 2026, the bill has been introduced in both the House and Senate; it must now clear the relevant committees before moving to a full vote in either chamber. Effective dates for the safe zones have not yet been determined as the legislation is still in the early stages of the congressional process.