Missouri Bill Regarding Religious Beliefs of College Student Associations (SB 248)

SB 248 would prohibit public colleges and universities from taking any action or enforcing any policy that denies a religious student association any benefit available to any other student association.

The bill would also prohibit public colleges and universities from discriminating against a religious student association with respect to such benefit, based on that association’s requirement that its leaders or members do the following:

• adhere to the association’s sincerely held religious beliefs;
• comply with the association’s sincere religious observance requirements;
• comply with the association’s sincere religious standards of conduct;
• or be committed to furthering the association’s religious missions, as described in the act.

Colleges and universities would be prohibited from substantially burdening a student’s exercise of religion unless the institution can demonstrate that application of the burden to the student is in furtherance of a compelling interest of the institution, and is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling interest.

Any student or religious student association that has been aggrieved as a result of a violation of this law may assert that violation as a claim or defense in a judicial or administrative proceeding against the institution and obtain appropriate relief.

STATUS

Companion bill to HB 104.

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