Representative Brad Knott sponsors The Right to Worship Act

Introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and in the House of Representatives by our District 13 Representative Brad Knott (R-NC) and Tom Suozzi (D-NY), The Right to Worship Act makes it illegal to knowingly disrupt worship services or impede, threaten, or intimidate people trying to attend religious services. The bill would establish a 100-foot buffer zone around houses of worship during services and make it unlawful to knowingly disrupt those services or impede people from attending, according to Representative Knott.

Violence at houses of worship have been on the rise, and the bill allows victims of any disruption to guarantee their sacred First Amendment Right to exercise their faith. The bill applies from one hour before until one hour after scheduled religious services and imposes civil fines starting at $2,500 and continuing up to $10,000. The bill also allows the U.S. Attorney General, state attorneys general, and private individuals to sue violators.

The Franklin County Republican Party thanks Representative Knott for his leadership on this important issue.