This law topic summary was last updated on: December 13, 2018
Religious Imposition laws cover a range of legislation designed to shield private individuals and businesses from complying with nondiscrimination laws and to affirmatively deny services such as employment, housing, and reproductive health care based on a religious objection to that service. Religious Imposition laws exist on both the federal and the state level and take the form of Religious Freedom Restoration Acts (RFRAs), which create a statutory model for those with religious objections to laws of general applicability like the Affordable Care Act to avoid compliance with those laws based on religious objection.
Other Religious Imposition laws take the form of conscience-refusal laws that permit civil servants, health-care workers, and others to deny services or products based on a moral or religious objection to the person serviced or the product requested. Still other forms of Religious Imposition laws—such as anti-transgender legislation—target specific groups and seek to shield businesses and individuals from actions that would otherwise be discriminatory on the basis of a religious or moral objection to LGBTQ individuals.
These maps illustrate how Religious Imposition laws are sweeping through state legislatures across the nation.
The first map shows all activity in states related to Religious Imposition laws. The darker the color, the more Religious Imposition legislative activity in that state. Hover over a state to get more detail and click to see all Religious Imposition related laws for that state.
In the second set of maps you can see at a glance which states have laws that have been passed by state legislatures and are currently in effect.
Database includes all anti-LGBTQ bills introduced since the 2015 legislative session.
Religious Imposition Related Articles
AlabamaRepublicans 76 Democrats 28
Republicans 27 Democrats 8
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 22
3 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom, RFRA
AlaskaRepublicans 23 Democrats 15 Independent 2
Republicans 13 Democrats 7
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 7
1 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom
ArizonaRepublicans 16 Democrats 14
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 7
3 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom, RFRA
Arkansas
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 18
5 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom, Anti-Transgender, RFRA
CaliforniaRepublicans 19 Democrats 60 Independent 1
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 4
3 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom
ColoradoRepublicans 24 Democrats 41
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 11
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
ConnecticutRepublicans 12 Democrats 24
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 4
3 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom, RFRA
Delaware
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 1
1 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom
District of Columbia
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database none
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Federal
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database none
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
FloridaRepublicans 24 Democrats 16
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 13
5 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom, RFRA
GeorgiaRepublicans 34 Democrats 22
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 15
6 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Religious Freedom, RFRA, Conscience and Refusal Clauses
HawaiiRepublicans 1 Democrats 24
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 10
3 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom
Idaho
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 5
5 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom, RFRA
IllinoisRepublicans 35 Democrats 65
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 10
4 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom, RFRA
IndianaRepublicans 71 Democrats 29
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 16
4 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom, RFRA
IowaRepublicans 59 Democrats 41
Republicans 32 Democrats 18
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 17
1 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom
Kansas
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 18
9 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom, RFRA, Anti-Transgender
KentuckyRepublicans 75 Democrats 25
Republicans 30 Democrats 8
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 16
3 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Religious Freedom, Conscience and Refusal Clauses, RFRA
LouisianaRepublicans 27 Democrats 12
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 8
5 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom, RFRA
MaineRepublicans 13 Democrats 22
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 11
10 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom
MarylandRepublicans 15 Democrats 32
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 3
2 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom
MassachusettsRepublicans 3 Democrats 37
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 16
6 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom
Michigan
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 14
5 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom
MinnesotaRepublicans 64 Democrats 70
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 15
3 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom
Mississippi
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 17
4 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom, RFRA, Anti-Transgender
MissouriRepublicans 75 Democrats 25
Republicans 24 Democrats 10
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 54
2 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom, RFRA
Montana
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 4
2 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom
NebraskaNonpartisan 49
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 3
1 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom
NevadaRepublicans 9 Democrats 12
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 3
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
New Hampshire
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 5
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
New JerseyRepublicans 15 Democrats 25
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 3
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
New Mexico
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 7
1 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Religious Freedom, RFRA
New YorkRepublicans 20 Democrats 43
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 5
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
North CarolinaRepublicans 69 Democrats 51
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 14
3 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Anti-Transgender, Religious Freedom, Conscience and Refusal Clauses
North Dakota
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 1
1 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom
OhioRepublicans 64 Democrats 35
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 6
1 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom
OklahomaRepublicans 81 Democrats 19
Republicans 39 Democrats 9
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 35
1 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Religious Freedom, RFRA
Oregon
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 2
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
PennsylvaniaRepublicans 55 Democrats 45
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 10
2 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Anti-Transgender, Religious Freedom, RFRA
Rhode IslandRepublicans 9 Democrats 66
Republicans 5 Democrats 33
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 1
1 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Religious Freedom, RFRA
South Carolina
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 19
2 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom
South DakotaRepublicans 62 Democrats 8
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 15
1 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom
TennesseeRepublicans 73 Democrats 26
Republicans 27 Democrats 6
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 46
9 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Anti-Transgender, Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom, RFRA
Texas
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 67
5 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom, RFRA
UtahRepublicans 23 Democrats 6
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 6
2 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom
VermontRepublicans 7 Democrats 18
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database none
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Virginia
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 26
6 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom, RFRA
WashingtonRepublicans 41 Democrats 57
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 17
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
West VirginiaRepublicans 22 Democrats 12
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 8
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
WisconsinRepublicans 61 Democrats 38
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 4
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Wyoming
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 5
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
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