New York’s New “Criminal Interference with Access to a Place of Religious Worship” Law

For the first half of 2026, the Governor and some state law makers sought to advance proposals that would create unconstitutional speech-free buffer zones outside of each reproductive health facility and the nearly 17,000 places of religious worship across New York State. This proposal was ultimately rejected and, instead, the Governor signed a bill into law that creates a new misdemeanor: “Criminal Interference with Access to a Place of Religious Worship.” The confusion and misrepresentation about what the new law does can chill free speech. To protect against chilling, we answer the most critical questions about the new law below.