This bill creates a new chapter in Title 9A RCW that makes it a crime and a basis for civil relief to willfully or recklessly interfere with access to or the normal functioning of a place of worship immediately prior to, during, or immediately after religious services. Prohibited actions expressly include physically obstructing ingress or egress, trespassing on the premises or common areas, repeated telephone or electronic communications, and threatening injury to owners, agents, attendees, employees, or property. A violation is classified as a gross misdemeanor. The bill also establishes civil remedies: an aggrieved person or a place of worship may seek damages and injunctive relief without a criminal conviction, and a prevailing plaintiff may recover costs and attorneys’ fees. Monetary damages are capped at $500 per day for an individual plaintiff and $1,500 per day for a place of worship. Courts may issue temporary, preliminary, and permanent injunctions—potentially statewide and binding on persons acting in concert—and may do so without requiring a bond; the state and its political subdivisions are directed to cooperate in enforcement. The bill preserves lawful picketing or publicity and provides for privacy protections for organizational agents or employees who are parties or witnesses; remedies are cumulative. The bill includes definitions for terms such as aggrieved person, place of worship, premises, religious organization, physically obstruct, and interfere, and contains a severability clause. The provided text does not specify the exact RCW chapter number to be added, an effective date, how the phrase "except as otherwise protected by state or federal law" will be applied or which laws might limit this chapter, the text of the cross-referenced RCW definition of "harass," or which agency or office is to investigate or prosecute the new gross misdemeanor.

If enacted, people who run or attend places of worship will have a new, enforceable way to stop people who physically block entrances, trespass on worship property, make repeated harassing calls or electronic messages, or threaten attendees right before, during, or right after services. Religious organizations can ask courts for injunctions that can reach defendants and others acting with them (and can be issued without bond), and can seek civil damages — up to $500 per day for an individual plaintiff and up to $1,500 per day for a place of worship — plus costs and attorneys’ fees, even if there is no criminal conviction. Those who engage in the prohibited conduct also face criminal exposure because the statute makes the conduct a gross misdemeanor. The groups most affected are religious organizations, their owners and staff, worship attendees, and people who protest or otherwise interfere with services. Religious organizations will likely find it easier and sometimes cheaper to stop disruptions through court orders and recover legal costs, though they may still initially pay for litigation. Individuals who attempt to block or disrupt services face higher financial and criminal risk and may be deterred from repeated or organized actions. The state’s courts and law enforcement may see more requests to enforce injunctions and civil claims, and the obligation for state and local governments to cooperate in enforcement could raise enforcement workload. Important implementation details are missing here, including the law’s effective date, which existing state or federal protections would limit this new chapter, and which agencies will handle criminal enforcement.