Criminal Law - Obstruction or Interference With Exercise of Religious Beliefs - Prohibition

SB 177 prohibits physically blocking someone from entering or leaving a religious facility, including places of worship, cemeteries, religious schools, and their adjacent grounds. The law makes it a misdemeanor to detain, obstruct, impede, or hinder access through physical means, with penalties of up to 90 days in jail or a $1,000 fine. It explicitly excludes facility leaders, agents, law enforcement officers, and protected speech from the prohibition. The bill amends Maryland’s criminal code to apply these rules specifically to religious facilities, building on existing protections for medical facilities.