Bills › 89th General Assembly
Prohibiting the burdening of a person’s free exercise of religion
Topics:Civil rightsState government
Same legislation: SF 2284
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedFebruary 1, 2022
- Done: SubcommitteeFebruary 2, 2022
- Done: Senate committeeFebruary 15, 2022
- Skipped: Passes the SenateContinued as SF 2284
- Next: House committee
- Next: Passes the House
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Became SF 2284 → Its progress continues under the new number. Go to SF 2284 What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
AI summary Government agencies cannot treat religious activities more strictly than non-religious activities that carry a similar risk. If a government entity must limit someone's religious practices, they must prove it is necessary for a very important reason and use the least restrictive way possible to do it. People who feel their religious rights were unfairly limited can take legal action to seek damages or stop the government's actions.1
Read the official explanation
This bill prohibits a governmental entity from burdening a person’s free exercise of religion. The bill prohibits governmental entities from treating religious conduct more restrictively than any secular conduct of reasonably comparable risk or treating religious conduct more restrictively than comparable secular conduct because of alleged economic need or benefit. The bill provides that a governmental entity shall not substantially burden a person’s free exercise of religion unless the governmental entity can demonstrate that the action constituting or resulting in the burden is in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest and is the least restrictive means of furthering that interest. The bill provides that a person whose free exercise of religion has been burdened in violation of the bill may assert that violation as a claim or defense in a judicial or administrative proceeding, and provides that the governmental entity may be liable for actual damages, attorney fees, costs, and other appropriate remedies. The bill also allows the person to obtain injunctive relief against the governmental entity.
Senate subcommittee
Named February 2, 2022. On February 9, 2022 it recommended passage.
Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part
Family tree
89th General Assembly
Similar bills
- HSB 593 HSB 59389th General Assembly · Subcommittee recommends passageNearly identical
- HSB 677 HSB 67789th General Assembly · Renumbered as HF 2437Similar
- HF 2454 Relating to the exercise of religion, and including effective date and applicability provi…90th General Assembly · WithdrawnSimilar
Matched by wording or an identical title.