{"id":355674,"date":"2016-04-04T10:42:00","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:42:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/civilrights\/discrimination\/religious-freedom-acts-by-state.html"},"modified":"2026-06-17T10:44:29","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T15:44:29","slug":"religious-freedom-acts-by-state","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/civilrights\/discrimination\/religious-freedom-acts-by-state.html","title":{"rendered":"Religious Freedom Acts by State"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Religious Freedom Acts by State<\/h1>\n\n
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\n By Balrina Ahluwalia, Esq.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Laura Temme, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n

State religious freedom restoration acts<\/span> (RFRAs<\/span>) are laws that protect religious exercise<\/span> from government interference by requiring strict judicial review of state and local actions that burden religious practices<\/span>. These state-level laws emerged after the U.S. <\/span>Supreme Court<\/span> ruled that the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act<\/span> applies only to federal government<\/span> actions, leaving states to decide whether to provide similar protections for their residents.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Congress passed the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act<\/span> of 1993<\/span> (RFRA<\/span>) to protect religious liberties<\/span> that had been weakened by an earlier Supreme <\/span>Court<\/span> decision<\/span><\/a>. But the Supreme Court<\/span> later decided it applied only to federal <\/em>actions that restrict a person\u2019s exercise of religion<\/span>. Some states responded by passing their own RFRA<\/span>-like state laws<\/span>, designed to fill the gap created by this limitation.<\/p>\n

These state <\/span>RFRAs<\/span> protect religious freedom by requiring state and local actions that burden people\u2019s religious exercise<\/span> to satisfy the same high standard. But not all states have an RFRA<\/span>-type statute. This means that protections for your religious freedom very much depend on your location. Understanding how the laws in your state operate is critical to exercising your constitutional rights<\/span>.<\/p>\n

This guide explores the origins of state-level\u00a0RFRAs<\/span>\u00a0and legislative trends. We cover key U.S. <\/span>Supreme Court<\/span> <\/a>cases that have shaped the landscape for religious protections at the state level. And we\u2019ll outline each state\u2019s approach and the different types of protections.<\/p>\n

If your religious freedoms are burdened at any level, consider touching base with a lawyer. A civil rights<\/span><\/a> or constitutional law attorney<\/a> who\u2019s licensed in your state can help you understand your options under state and federal law<\/span>. That way, you can make informed decisions about the best way to proceed.<\/p>\n

In the meantime, let\u2019s start with some basics.<\/p>\n

What Are State <\/span>RFRAs<\/span>?<\/h2>\n

State religious freedom restoration acts<\/span> are laws that protect the free exercise of religion<\/span><\/a> from government interference. A state <\/span>RFRA<\/span> prevents state and local governments from substantially burdening a person’s religious exercise<\/span> unless the government demonstrates a compelling interest and uses the least restrictive means<\/span> to achieve that interest. This applies “strict scrutiny<\/span><\/a>” – the highest level of judicial review – to laws and government actions that may restrict religious practices<\/span>.<\/p>\n

If a person’s religious exercise<\/span> is “substantially burdened” by state or local government action, the government must excuse the person from complying with the law unless it can show:<\/p>\n