The American Council Responds to CA Public Safety Committee Vote Against SB 1070, Bill to Protect Houses of Worship
Sacramento, California — The American Council expressed deep disappointment following the California Senate Public Safety Committee’s vote against Senate Bill 1070, legislation designed to strengthen protections for all houses of worship facing disruption, intimidation, and targeted interference.
SB 1070 was introduced by Senator Shannon Grove, in partnership with The American Council, to help protect religious communities across California by addressing conduct that threatens the peace, safety, and dignity of worship services. The bill sought to provide meaningful deterrence against acts of disruption and intimidation directed at churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, and other sacred spaces by adding a wobbler offense.
“The vote against Senate Bill 1070 is a serious failure of moral clarity and public responsibility,” said Tanner DiBella, President of The American Council. “At a time when religious communities across California have experienced growing disruption, harassment, and intimidation, lawmakers had an opportunity to stand for the basic principle that people should be able to worship in peace. Instead, most members of this committee chose not to act.”
The American Council thanked Senator Kelly Seyarto for his vote in support of the bill and expressed disappointment in the committee members who opposed it. The organization warned that the committee’s decision risks emboldening further hostility toward religious communities throughout the state.
“This vote does not make California safer, more just, or more free,” DiBella said. “It leaves churches and other houses of worship more vulnerable. It tells faith communities that their concerns can be ignored. And it reflects a troubling unwillingness to take religious liberty seriously when it requires concrete action.”
The American Council said it will continue working with faith leaders, advocates, and elected officials to advance protections for religious communities and to ensure the right to worship is defended not only in theory, but in practice.
“Sacred spaces matter,” DiBella said. “They are places of prayer, service, healing, and hope. Every Californian should be alarmed when lawmakers fail to protect them. Thank you, Senator Grove, for your foresight and courage to protect all religious communities.”
Tanner DiBella
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The American Council is a leadership institute working to build leaders of moral clarity and courage in public policy and public leadership.