Bills › 90th General Assembly
Relating to the exercise of religion, and including effective date and applicability provisions
Sponsored by the House Judiciary (companion To Sf 2095 By Schultz) Committee
Topics:Courts & civil law
Same legislation: SF 2095
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedJanuary 23, 2024
- Skipped: SubcommitteeSkipped
- Done: House committeeFebruary 29, 2024
- Done: Passes the HouseFebruary 29, 202461–33
- Skipped: Senate committeeSkipped
- Done: Passes the SenateFebruary 20, 202431–16
- Done: To the GovernorApril 2, 2024
- Done: Signed into lawApril 2, 2024
SF 2095 became law → The same legislation passed as SF 2095, so this version was set aside. Go to SF 2095 What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
This bill prohibits a governmental entity from substantially 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. Under current law, a court is not required to apply heightened scrutiny when reviewing a law that burdens a person’s exercise of religion when such law is generally applicable.
Read the full explanation
The bill provides that a court shall apply the compelling governmental interest test so that the government cannot substantially burden a person’s exercise of religion unless the government demonstrates that applying the law of general applicability 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 exercise of religion has been substantially burdened by the government may assert such 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. The bill prohibits a county or city from enacting a private or civil law that would burden a person’s free exercise of religion in violation of the bill. The bill takes effect upon enactment and applies to all state and local laws.
From the explanation printed with the bill as introduced, written by the Legislative Services Agency. Amendments adopted later aren’t reflected. Full bill text · What changed before it passed
Iowa Code it changes
Creates§675.1§675.2§675.3§675.4
Read from the bill as introduced. Each links to every bill touching that chapter of the Iowa Code. How the Code works
Lobbying
11 for · 18 against · 4 undecided · Who →
Family tree
Where this legislation came from and where it went: earlier tries, the versions it moved through this Assembly, and later bills built on it.
90th General Assembly
Earlier and later bills are matched by wording or an identical title; check the text to be sure it’s the same idea.
Tried before
This idea has been filed in an earlier General Assembly. None got through a chamber.
- SF 2284 Prohibiting the burdening of a person’s free exercise of religion89th General Assembly · Approved by committee · similarCleared committee
Matched by the wording of each bill’s explanation, or an identical title. Companion bills and renumbered versions of this bill aren’t listed; they’re the same bill.