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OHIO — Some Ohio lawmakers are looking to increase the punishment for interfering with religious services or lawful meetings, raising the penalty from a first-degree misdemeanor to a fifth-degree felony.
House Bill 662 was introduced into the Ohio House by Reps. Tex Fischer, R-Boardman, and Johnathan Newman, R-Troy, on Jan. 29.
A press release from Fischer’s office states the bill is in response to a recent anti-immigration enforcement protest that disrupted a service at a Minnesota church. The situation gained national attention.
One of the church’s pastors, David Easterwood, leads the local field office for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. One of the leaders of the protest and prominent local activist Nekima Levy Armstrong said she’s also an ordained reverend.
Journalist Don Lemon was recently released from custody after he was arrested and hit with federal civil rights charges over his coverage of the protest.
“While every American has the right to peacefully protest ICE or any other government entity, they do not have a right to storm into a place of worship and disrupt another American’s right to freely practice their religion,” Fischer said in the release. “We cannot allow our country to be a place where families fear they may face harassment or see their religious services disrupted by activists attempting to score political points while attending church on a Sunday morning. Our state should not tolerate this behavior and must stand strong in protecting the rights of Ohioans of all faiths to freely practice their religion.”
The release states this bill will not restrict the ability of Ohioans to peacefully protest.
“I will do everything possible to ensure Ohioans’ God-given First Amendment right to free exercise of religion is protected along with houses of worship and worshippers,” Newman said in the release. “I am glad to join Rep. Fischer sponsoring this important legislation.”
You can see the full bill here:
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Cody Thompson
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