HOUSE BILL No. 5560

 

April 24, 2012, Introduced by Reps. Shaughnessy, Haugh, Kowall, Genetski, Cotter, Opsommer, Poleski, Haines, Tyler, Franz, Pettalia, Muxlow, Goike, MacGregor, Outman, McMillin, Rendon, Walsh, Jacobsen, Agema, Kurtz, Jenkins, Hooker, Yonker, Pscholka, Gilbert, Hughes, Wayne Schmidt, Bumstead, LaFontaine, Haveman and Lori and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

     A bill to amend 1931 PA 328, entitled

 

"The Michigan penal code,"

 

by amending section 169 (MCL 750.169).

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 169. (1) Disturbance of religious meetings—Any person

 

who, on the first day of the week, or at any other time, shall

 

wilfully interrupt or disturb any assembly of people met for the

 

worship of God, within the place of such meeting or out of it,

 

shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.A person shall not do any of the

 

following:

 

     (a) Enter or attempt to enter any private property where the

 

person knows people are meeting or are intending to meet in the

 

pursuit of their free exercise of religion with the intent to

 

disrupt that meeting.

 

     (b) After being instructed to leave, remain on or attempt to


 

remain on any private property where the person knows people are

 

meeting or are intending to meet in the pursuit of their free

 

exercise of religion with the intent to disrupt that meeting.

 

     (c) Intentionally obstruct or attempt to obstruct the entrance

 

to or exit from any private property where the person knows people

 

are meeting or are intending to meet in the pursuit of their free

 

exercise of religion with the intent to disrupt or prevent that

 

meeting.

 

     (2) A person who violates this section is guilty of a

 

misdemeanor punishable as follows:

 

     (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), by 1 or more of the

 

following:

 

     (i) Imprisonment for not more than 93 days.

 

     (ii) A fine of not more than $1,000.00.

 

     (iii) Not more than 100 hours of community service.

 

     (b) If the person has previously been convicted of violating

 

this section, by 1 or more of the following:

 

     (i) Imprisonment for not more than 93 days.

 

     (ii) A fine of not more than $5,000.00.

 

     (iii) Not more than 200 hours of community service.

 

     Enacting section 1. This amendatory act takes effect September

 

1, 2012.