Georgia Joins The Fight For Faith
Georgia officially adopted its own version of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) on Friday, making it the 30th state to pass similar legislation. The bill, known as Senate Bill 36 or the Georgia Religious Freedom Restoration Act, was signed into law by Republican Governor Brian Kemp. It had been approved by the state’s Republican-controlled Senate in a 32-23 vote on March 4 and passed the Georgia House of Representatives by a 96-70 vote on Wednesday.
The votes on the bill followed party lines, with all Republicans in favor and all Democrats opposed in the Senate. In the House, one Democrat supported the measure, while two Republicans joined Democrats in voting against it. The legislation asserts that government cannot significantly hinder an individual’s religious exercise, even if the hindrance results from a broadly applicable law. Exceptions are only allowed if the government proves the burden serves a compelling interest and is the least restrictive option available.
The law also provides individuals whose religious rights are violated with the ability to seek legal recourse. It broadly defines “exercise of religion” as any act of religious practice, whether or not central to a religious belief system, and it includes protections under both the state constitution and the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment.
The measure also prohibits state entities, including departments and officials, from imposing substantial burdens on a person’s religious practices. The conservative religious freedom group Alliance Defending Freedom praised the bill’s passage, calling it a victory for protecting the religious rights of Georgians. They emphasized that the law ensures that all individuals, regardless of their religious or political stance, are given a fair opportunity to contest government actions that infringe on their religious freedoms.
Georgia now joins 29 other states that have enacted similar religious freedom restoration laws, including states such as Texas, Florida, and Pennsylvania. These laws are designed to provide a legal framework for individuals to challenge government policies that they believe infringe upon their right to practice their religion.