South Carolina S 934: Disturbing Religious Worship

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 934 Text of Previous Version (Feb. 18, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 934

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH 
CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 16-17-520, RELATING TO DISTURBANCES 
OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP, SO AS TO FURTHER DEFINE UNLAWFUL CONDUCT FOR PURPOSES OF 
THE OFFENSE OF DISTURBING RELIGIOUS WORSHIP, AND TO INCREASE THE PENALTY FOR A 
VIOLATION TO A FELONY.

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Section 16-17-520 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 
16-17-520. (A) Any person who shall (a)It is unlawful for a person to wilfully and maliciously:

 (1) disturb or interrupt any 
meeting, society, assembly or congregation convened for the purpose of 
religious worship, (b) at a 
tax-exempt place of worship, regardless of whether the conduct is within the 
place at which the assemblage is held or is on the property on which that place 
is located and which disturbs the order and solemnity of the assemblage;

 (2) enter such meeting while in 
a state of intoxication or (c) use or sell 
spirituous liquors, or;

 (3) use blasphemous, profane, or obscene language at or near the place of meeting; or

 (4) disturb or interfere with a 
virtual meeting or gathering, by interactive video conference or 
teleconference, of people for religious worship through the use of a computer, 
computer system, telecommunications device, or other electronic device or 
system, or in any other manner.

 (B) shall 
beA person who violates the provisions of this 
section is guilty of a misdemeanorfelony and shall, onupon conviction, must be sentenced to pay a 
fine of not less than twenty nor more than one hundred dollars, or be 
imprisoned for a term of not exceeding 
one year or less than thirty days, either or both, at the discretion of the 
courtmore than five years.

SECTION 2. The repeal or amendment by this act 
of any law, whether temporary or permanent or civil or criminal, does not affect 
pending actions, rights, duties, or liabilities founded thereon, or alter, 
discharge, release or extinguish any penalty, forfeiture, or liability incurred 
under the repealed or amended law, unless the repealed or amended provision 
shall so expressly provide. After the effective date of this act, all 
laws repealed or amended by this act must be taken and treated as remaining in 
full force and effect for the purpose of sustaining any pending or vested 
right, civil action, special proceeding, criminal prosecution, or appeal 
existing as of the effective date of this act, and for the enforcement of 
rights, duties, penalties, forfeitures, and liabilities as they stood under the 
repealed or amended laws.

SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval 
by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on February 18, 2026 at 01:33 PM