Amends existing law to provide for disturbing the peace of a religious worship, meeting, or event.

LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO Sixty-eighth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2026 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HOUSE BILL NO. 571 BY JUDICIARY, RULES AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE AN ACT1 RELATING TO DISTURBING THE PEACE; AMENDING SECTION 18-6409, IDAHO CODE, TO2 PROVIDE FOR DISTURBING THE PEACE OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP, MEETINGS, OR3 EVENTS; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.4

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:5

SECTION 1. That Section 18-6409, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby6 amended to read as follows:7 18-6409. DISTURBING THE PEACE. (1) Every person who maliciously and8 willfully disturbs the peace or quiet of any neighborhood, family or per-9 son, by loud or unusual noise, or by tumultuous or offensive conduct, or by10 threatening, traducing, quarreling, challenging to fight or fighting, or11 fires any gun or pistol, or uses any vulgar, profane or indecent language12 within the presence or hearing of children, in a loud and boisterous manner,13 is guilty of a misdemeanor.14 (2) Every person who maliciously and willfully disturbs the dignity or15 reverential nature of any funeral, memorial service, funeral procession,16 burial ceremony or viewing of a deceased person is guilty of a misdemeanor.17 (3) Every person who maliciously and willfully disturbs, disquiets, or18 delays any assemblage of people gathered for religious worship, meetings, or19 events, whether at a place of worship or an off-site location used for reli-20 gious worship, meetings, or events, by profane discourse, rude or indecent21 behavior, any unnecessary noise, or any action that obstructs or interferes22 with the timely commencement or continuation of the gathering, either within23 the place where the worship, meeting, or event is held or so near it as to dis-24 turb the order and solemnity of the gathering, is guilty of a misdemeanor.25

SECTION 2. An emergency existing therefor, which emergency is hereby26 declared to exist, this act shall be in full force and effect on and after27 July 1, 2026.28