Yesterday (September 3, 2024), legislation by Representative Andy Josephson, updating the crime of Criminal Mischief in the 3rd degree, was signed into law by Governor Mike Dunleavy.
By amending AS 11.46.482: Criminal Mischief in the 3rd Degree to include a common criminal law known as “Institutional Vandalism,” House Bill 238 raises the minimum penalty for vandalism to a place of worship, from an A misdemeanor to a class C felony, mirroring similar criminal penalties for vandalizing a place of burial.
“No matter your religious beliefs, these are sacred places that deserve special protections,” said Rep. Andy Josephson (D-Anchorage). “The signing of this bill is a declaration to the world that we will not tolerate infringement upon the right to freely exercise one’s religion.”
With today’s signing, Alaska joins Forty-two states and the District of Columbia that have passed laws which emphasize and punish criminal behavior related to the destruction of property used for, or owned by, a place of worship or the site of burial or cemetery.
