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Culture & Conversation Sexual Health
This law was last updated on Sep 12, 2019
This law is Anti–LGBTQ
SF 508
Proposed
Mar 6, 2019
SF 508 would prohibit a government entity from substantially burdening a person’s exercise of religion even if the burden results from a law of general applicability.
The bill states that a government entity shall not substantially burden a person’s exercise of religion unless the government entity demonstrates that application of the burden to the person is essential to further a compelling governmental interest and is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest.
A person whose exercise of religion has been burdened by a government entity in violation of this provision may assert that violation as a claim or defense in any judicial or administrative proceeding and may obtain such declaratory relief or monetary damages as may properly be awarded by a court of competent jurisdiction.
The law allows religious freedom to be raised as a defense in lawsuits between private citizens and therefore does not track the federal RFRA.
Related Legislation
Nearly identical to HF 258/SF 240.
Nearly identical to HF 2209, SF 2154 and HF 2209; all of which failed to pass in 2018.
Similar to HF 2032, HF 2200, and SF 2171, all of which failed to pass in 2016.
Latest Action
3/6/19 – Introduced by the Senate Local Government Committee.