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<ns0:Id>20250SB__107099INT</ns0:Id>
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<ns0:Action>
<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-02-13</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:SessionYear>2025</ns0:SessionYear>
<ns0:SessionNum>0</ns0:SessionNum>
<ns0:MeasureType>SB</ns0:MeasureType>
<ns0:MeasureNum>1070</ns0:MeasureNum>
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<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Senator Grove</ns0:AuthorText>
<ns0:AuthorText authorType="COAUTHOR_ORIGINATING">(Coauthors: Senators Alvarado-Gil, Choi, Ochoa Bogh, Seyarto, Strickland, and Valladares)</ns0:AuthorText>
<ns0:Authors>
<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>LEAD_AUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Grove</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Alvarado-Gil</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Choi</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Ochoa Bogh</ns0:Name>
</ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Seyarto</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Strickland</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Valladares</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Title> An act to amend Section 302 of the Penal Code, relating to crimes. </ns0:Title>
<ns0:RelatingClause>crimes</ns0:RelatingClause>
<ns0:GeneralSubject>
<ns0:Subject>Crimes: disturbing religious worship.</ns0:Subject>
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<html:p>Existing law makes it a crime to intentionally disturb or disquiet an assemblage of people met for religious worship by profane discourse, rude or indecent behavior, or by any unnecessary noise. Existing law makes a violation of this crime a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not exceeding $1,000, by imprisonment in a county jail for a period not exceeding one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would additionally make a violation of the above-described crime a felony punishable by a fine not exceeding $5,000, by imprisonment in a county jail for 16 months, or 2 or 3 years, or by both that fine and imprisonment. By making an existing crime punishable as either a misdemeanor or a felony, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.</html:p>
<html:p>The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state.
Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.</html:p>
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<ns0:VoteRequired>MAJORITY</ns0:VoteRequired>
<ns0:Appropriation>NO</ns0:Appropriation>
<ns0:FiscalCommittee>YES</ns0:FiscalCommittee>
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<ns0:ImmediateEffect>NO</ns0:ImmediateEffect>
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<ns0:Urgency>NO</ns0:Urgency>
<ns0:TaxLevy>NO</ns0:TaxLevy>
<ns0:Election>NO</ns0:Election>
<ns0:UsualCurrentExpenses>NO</ns0:UsualCurrentExpenses>
<ns0:BudgetBill>NO</ns0:BudgetBill>
<ns0:Prop25TrailerBill>NO</ns0:Prop25TrailerBill>
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<ns0:Bill id="bill">
<ns0:Preamble>The people of the State of California do enact as follows:</ns0:Preamble>
<ns0:BillSection id="id_AD93FBB9-686F-4CE1-95E1-01179E10F81A">
<ns0:Num>SECTION 1.</ns0:Num>
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Section 302 of the
<ns0:DocName>Penal Code</ns0:DocName>
is amended to read:
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<ns0:LawSection id="id_EA7079B3-4843-48C9-9649-479D192D4378">
<ns0:Num>302.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Every person who intentionally disturbs or disquiets any assemblage of people met for religious worship at a tax-exempt place of worship, by profane discourse, rude or indecent behavior, or by any unnecessary noise, either within the place where the meeting is held, or so near it as to disturb the order and solemnity of the meeting, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by imprisonment in a county jail for a period not exceeding one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment, or is guilty of a felony punishable by a fine
not exceeding five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by imprisonment in a county jail for 16 months, or two or three years, or by both that fine and imprisonment.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
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A court may require performance of community service of not less than 50 hours and not exceeding 80 hours as an alternative to imprisonment or a fine.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
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In addition to the penalty set forth in subdivision (a), a person who has suffered a previous conviction of a violation of this section or Section 403, shall be required to perform community service of not less than 120 hours and not exceeding 160 hours.
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<html:p>
(d)
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The existence of any fact which would bring a person under subdivision (c) or (d) shall be alleged in the complaint, information, or indictment and either:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
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Admitted by the defendant in open court.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
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Found to be true by a jury trying the issue of guilt.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
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Found to be true by the court where guilt is established by a plea of guilty or nolo contendere.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(4)
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Found to be true by trial by the court sitting without a jury.
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<html:p>
(e)
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Upon conviction of any person under this section for disturbances of religious worship, the court may, in accordance with the performance of community service imposed under this section, consistent with public safety interests and with the victim’s consent, order the defendant to perform a portion of, or all of, the required community service at the place where the disturbance of religious worship occurred.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(f)
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The court may waive the mandatory minimum requirements for community service whenever it is in the interest of justice to do so. When a waiver is granted, the court shall state on the record all reasons supporting the waiver.
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<ns0:BillSection id="id_652AF865-3270-484C-847E-482AACAF0AD8">
<ns0:Num>SEC. 2.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII
<html:span class="ThinSpace"/>
B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII
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B of the California Constitution.
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