,,ii #aai? ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #ebhi ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,augu/ #f1 #bjbf,mr4 ,cruz 7= himself & ,ms4 ,slotk97 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ! ,judici>y ,a ,,bill ,to protect ! "r to ! free ex]cise ( religion4 #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,"r to ,wor%ip ,act4 #b4 ,protect+ ! "r to ! free ex]cise ( religion 7a7 ,def9itions & rules 7#a7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is section3 7,a7 ,disrupt ,! t]m disrupt1 us$ ) respect to conduct & a s*$ul$ religi\s s]vice1 means conduct t mean+fully int]f]es ) ! ability ( p to p>ticipate 9 ! s*$ul$ religi\s s]vice1 to ! ext5t t ! conduct causes a sub/antial int]ruption to ! s]vice's normal op]ation4 7,b7 ,h\se ( wor%ip ,! t]m h\se ( wor%ip means a def9$ p>cel ( prop]ty or o!r space t religi\s adh]5ts collectively recognize or religi\s lead]%ip designates z a place to r\t9ely or regul>ly ga!r to hold religi\s s]vices4 7,c7 ,imp$e ,! t]m imp$e1 us$ ) respect to conduct & a s*$ul$ religi\s s]vice1 means conduct t unreasonably h9d]s or det]s a p]son f ent]+ a h\se ( wor%ip1 or t ?reat5s or intimidates a p]son1 9 a mann] t prev5ts p>ticipation at a s*$ul$ religi\s s]vice4 7,d7 ,kn[+ly ,! t]m kn[+ly1 us$ ) respect to a p]son & a disruption or imp$im5t1 means t ! p]son is aw>e or reasonably %\ld be aw>e t ! p]son's conduct w cause su* disruption or imp$im5t1 respectively4 7,e7 ,religi\s s]vice ,! t]m religi\s s]vice includes any collective wor%ip or pray] s]vice1 class1 or o!r ev5t1 at :i* individuals congregate to wor%ip1 /udy1 or o!rwise ex]cise1 _! religion4 7,f7 ,s*$ul$ religi\s s]vice ,! t]m s*$ul$ religi\s s]vice includes any religi\s s]vice-- 7i7 t is obs]vably und]way or imm95tly beg9n+ or conclud+1 z evid5c$ by ! ga!r+ or disp]s+ ( congregants at or by congregants approa*+ or leav+ a h\se ( wor%ip2 7ii7 ! date & "t ( :i* h be5 communicat$ to ! def5dant by law en=cem5t1 by a repres5tative ( ! h\se ( wor%ip1 or ?r\gh a prior judicial or adm9i/rative proce$+1 or ( :i* ! def5dant _h actual k2 or 7iii7 foll[s a cu/om>y & regul>ly recurr+ s*$ule ( :i* ! def5dant _h actual k4 7,g7 ,/ate ,! t]m ,/ate includes a ,/ate ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 ! ,di/rict ( ,columbia1 & any commonweal? or t]ritory4 7#b7 ,rules 7,a7 ,s*$ul$ religi\s s]vice ,no?+ 9 ?is section %all require a h\se ( wor%ip to publi% ! s*$ule = a s*$ul$ religi\s s]vice on any publicly accessible m$ium4 7,b7 ,disruption ,= ! purposes ( ?is section1 :e!r a p]son's c\rse ( conduct is a disruption %all be det]m9$ only by ! mann] 9 :i* ! c\rse ( conduct is c>ri$ out1 includ+ its volume1 duration1 p]vasiv5ess1 frequ5cy1 & impact1 r ?an by ! cont5t ( any spee* or expression involv$4 7b7 ,prohibit$ activities ,x %all be unlawful = any p]son-- 7#a7 to engage 9 a c\rse ( conduct t sub/antially affects int]/ate comm]ce1 )9 #ajj feet f any p$e/rian or vehicul> entryway ( any h\se ( wor%ip1 dur+ ! p]iod beg9n+ #a h\r be=e ! />t ( & end+ #a h\r aft] ! conclusion ( a s*$ul$ religi\s s]vice1 by kn[+ly disrupt+ ! s*$ul$ religi\s s]vice or kn[+ly imp$+ p f p>ticipat+ at ! s*$ul$ religi\s s]vice2 or 7#b7 to conspire to engage 91 or cause ano!r p]son to engage 91 any c\rse ( conduct made unlawful "u p>agraph 7#a74 7c7 ,rules ( con/ruction ,no?+ 9 ?is section %all be con/ru$-- 7#a7 to preclude a p]son f freely speak+ on any subject s long z su* spee* is conduct$ pursuant to ! "t1 place1 & mann] re/rictions set =? 9 ?is section2 or 7#b7 to preclude p>ticipation 9 activities = :i* a ,f$]al1 ,/ate1 or local gov]nm5t entity has issu$ a p]mit4 7d7 ,civil f9es ,:oev] violates ?is section %all be assess$1 by ! ,attorney ,g5]al-- 7#a7 9 ! case ( a fir/ (f5se1 a civil f9e ( #b1ejj2 7#b7 9 ! case ( a second (f5se1 a civil f9e ( #e1jjj2 & 7#c7 9 ! case ( a ?ird or subsequ5t (f5se1 a civil f9e ( #aj1jjj p] occurr5ce4 7e7 ,civil rem$ies 7#a7 ,"r ( ,action 7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,any p]son aggriev$ by reason ( a violation ( subsection 7b7 may comm5ce a civil action = ! relief set =? 9 subp>agraph 7,b7 9 any appropriate di/rict c\rt ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates4 7,b7 ,relief ,9 any action "u subp>agraph 7,a71 ! c\rt may aw>d appropriate relief1 includ+ tempor>y1 prelim9>y1 or p]man5t injunctive relief & comp5satory & punitive damages1 z well z ! co/s ( suit & reasonable fees = attorneys & exp]t witnesses4 ,) respect to comp5satory damages1 ! pla9tiff may elect1 at any "t prior to ! r5d]+ ( f9al judgm5t1 to recov]1 9 lieu ( actual damages1 an aw>d ( /atutory damages 9 ! am\nt ( #e1jjj p] violation4 7#b7 ,action by ,attorney ,g5]al ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates 7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,if ! ,attorney ,g5]al has reasonable cause to believe t any p]son 7includ+ a gr\p ( p]sons7 is be+1 has be51 or may be injur$ by conduct con/itut+ a violation ( ?is section1 ! ,attorney ,g5]al may comm5ce a civil action 9 any appropriate di/rict c\rt ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates4 7,b7 ,relief ,9 any action "u subp>agraph 7,a71 ! c\rt may aw>d appropriate relief1 includ+ tempor>y1 prelim9>y or p]man5t injunctive relief1 & comp5satory damages to a p]son aggriev$ z describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#a77;,a74 ,9 ! abs5ce ( actual damages1 ! c\rt1 to v9dicate ! public int]e/1 may assess a civil p5alty aga9/ ea* def5dant 9 ! am\nt ( #e1jjj p] violation4 7#c7 ,actions by ,/ate ,attorney ,g5]al 7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,if ! ,attorney ,g5]al ( a ,/ate has reasonable cause to believe t any p]son 7includ+ a gr\p ( p]sons7 is be+1 has be51 or may be injur$ by conduct con/itut+ a violation ( ?is section1 su* ,attorney ,g5]al may comm5ce a civil action 9 ! "n ( su* ,/ate1 z p>5s patriae on behalf ( natural p]sons resid+ 9 su* ,/ate1 9 any appropriate di/rict c\rt ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates4 7,b7 ,relief ,9 any action "u subp>agraph 7,a71 ! c\rt may aw>d ! relief describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#b77;,b74 7f7 ,sev]ability ,if any provision ( ?is ,act 7includ+ a s5t5ce1 phrase1 or ^w7 or ! application ( su* provision to any p]son or circum/ance is held to be invalid1 illegal1 uncon/itutional1 or un5=ceable by a c\rt ( compet5t jurisdiction1 ! rema9d] ( ?is ,act & ( ! application ( ! provision to any p]son or circum/ance1 t c be en=c$ )\t ! use ( ! (f5d+ provision or application1 %all n be affect$4