Bills › 89th General Assembly
Prohibiting the burdening of a person’s free exercise of religion
Sponsored by the Senate Local Government Committee
Topics:Civil rightsState government
Same legislation: SF 2170
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedFebruary 1, 2022
- Done: SubcommitteeFebruary 2, 2022
- Done: Senate committeeFebruary 15, 2022
- Stopped: Passes the SenateDied when the General Assembly ended
- Next: House committee
- Next: Passes the House
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Died when the session ended The 2022 session adjourned on May 24, 2022, the General Assembly’s last regular session. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
AI summary Government agencies cannot treat religious activities more strictly than non-religious activities that carry similar risks. If a government entity must limit someone's religious freedom to meet a vital goal, they must use the least restrictive way possible to do so. People who feel their religious rights were unfairly limited can sue the government for damages or ask a court to stop the action.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.
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89th General Assembly
Similar bills
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Matched by wording or an identical title.