Prohibiting the burdening of a person’s free exercise of religion

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.