On 24 April 2026, Congressmen Tom Suozzi of New York and Max Miller of Ohio introduced the bipartisan Safeguarding Access to Congregations and Religious Establishments from Disruption, or SACRED, Act in the United States Congress. The bill concerns access to places of worship, including temples, gurdwaras, and synagogues, and proposes a 100-foot buffer zone around such premises.
What The Bill Proposes
- The SACRED Act seeks to make it a federal offence to intentionally intimidate, obstruct, or harass persons exercising the right to religious worship within a 100-foot zone.
- The legislation prohibits threatening individuals, blocking their path, or approaching them within eight feet for the purpose of harassment or intimidation inside the buffer zone.
- Violations of the bill can attract federal criminal and civil penalties, including fines and imprisonment.
- Repeat offenders under the proposed law may face imprisonment of up to three years.
Religious And Civil Rights Context
The bill has been linked to incidents of harassment outside religious institutions in the United States, including cases involving synagogues. It has received endorsements from the Hindu American Foundation, United Sikhs, Agudath Israel of America, and the Anti-Defamation League.
Constitutional Context
The sponsors have stated that the bill is framed to protect worshippers while remaining consistent with First Amendment protections in the United States Constitution. The First Amendment, adopted in 1791, protects freedom of religion, speech, assembly, and petition in the United States.
Local Law Reference
On 24 April 2026, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani allowed a narrower buffer-zone law for houses of worship to become law and vetoed a separate bill related to educational institutions. Buffer-zone laws are legal measures that restrict conduct within a fixed distance of a protected place or activity.
Last Modified: April 28, 2026