New Tennessee bill further protects places of worship

From Local 3 News: "Your civil liberties should not be impeded by other people," says Representative Greg Martin (R) of the 26th District of Tennessee.

Federal and state laws against those who disrupt a religious facility already exist. However, Representative Martin says House Bill 2264 would reiterate that.

He created this bill after hearing about a situation that happened in another state that he believes was very inappropriate.

"I saw the atrocities of what happened in Minneapolis, where people who were just simply trying to enjoy a Sunday morning worship with their family was interrupted by a mob of people," he says.
 
The bill would penalize anyone who trespassed on the property or destroyed the property. A person could also face jail time for intentionally harming or threatening others within a religious institution.

Local faith leaders say they are all for this bill.

Rabbi Sam Rotenberg of B'Nai Zion Congregation shares that the Jewish community has been targeted for years. He says that national Jewish leaders have instructed them to use extra precaution.

"There's something very special about knowing, even on a legal level, that when you walk through these doors, you know this is sacred," he says. Rabbi Rotenberg says the synagogue has put up additional security cameras and increased funding for security personnel. "It's a reminder of the goal of those sacred spaces, which is relationship building between person and person, between person and God."

Lead Pastor Ronnie Phillips of Abba's House agrees. He says that they have also been a target because of the church's size. Pastor Phillips says the church has a security team and patrol vehicles on the property. "You shouldn't trespass on property and disrupt people that are there to worship God," he says. Pastor Phillips adds "I think as long as the bill protects everyone and every house of worship then it's a great bill."

Representative Martin says this is no longer a politics issue but rather a human issue.

"It doesn't matter who's in power in Tennessee, if it's a Democrat or Republican, I don't think it really matters," he says. "Tennesseans do not want to allow people to go into a church and disrupt it and try to take over in that way."

If the bill passes, it will go into effect on July 1, 2026.