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 72 Democrats 32
Republicans 26 Democrats 8 Independent 1
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 21 Democrats 17 Independent 2
Republicans 14 Democrats 6
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 4
1 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom
ArizonaRepublicans 35 Democrats 25
Republicans 17 Democrats 13
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
ArkansasRepublicans 76 Democrats 24
Republicans 26 Democrats 9
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 16
5 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom, Anti-Transgender, RFRA
CaliforniaRepublicans 25 Democrats 55
Republicans 14 Democrats 26
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 29 Democrats 36
Republicans 18 Democrats 16 Independent 1
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 9
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
ConnecticutRepublicans 71 Democrats 80
Republicans 18 Democrats 18
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
DelawareRepublicans 16 Democrats 25
Republicans 10 Democrats 11
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 75 Democrats 41
Republicans 23 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 115 Democrats 64
Republicans 37 Democrats 19
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 14
6 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Religious Freedom, RFRA, Conscience and Refusal Clauses
HawaiiRepublicans 5 Democrats 46
Democrats 25
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 10
3 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom
IdahoRepublicans 59 Democrats 11
Republicans 29 Democrats 6
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 51 Democrats 67
Republicans 22 Democrats 37
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 8
4 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom, RFRA
IndianaRepublicans 70 Democrats 30
Republicans 41 Democrats 9
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 14
3 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom, RFRA
IowaRepublicans 58 Democrats 41
Republicans 29 Democrats 20 Independent 1
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 13
1 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom
KansasRepublicans 85 Democrats 40
Republicans 29 Democrats 9 Independent 1
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 16
9 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom, RFRA, Anti-Transgender
KentuckyRepublicans 62 Democrats 37
Republicans 27 Democrats 11
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 15
3 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Religious Freedom, Conscience and Refusal Clauses, RFRA
LouisianaRepublicans 60 Democrats 39 Independent 3
Republicans 25 Democrats 14
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 70 Democrats 74 Independent 7
Republicans 17 Democrats 17
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 49 Democrats 92
Republicans 14 Democrats 33
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 34 Democrats 117 Independent 2
Republicans 7 Democrats 31
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 12
6 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom
MichiganRepublicans 63 Democrats 46
Republicans 27 Democrats 10
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 77 Democrats 57
Republicans 34 Democrats 33
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 15
3 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom
MississippiRepublicans 74 Democrats 47
Republicans 33 Democrats 19
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, Anti-Transgender
MissouriRepublicans 110 Democrats 45
Republicans 23 Democrats 10
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 47
2 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom, RFRA
MontanaRepublicans 59 Democrats 41
Republicans 32 Democrats 18
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 4
2 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom
Nebraska
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 15 Democrats 27
Republicans 9 Democrats 11 Nonpartisan 1
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 3
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
New HampshireRepublicans 210 Democrats 167
Republicans 14 Democrats 10
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 5
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
New JerseyRepublicans 26 Democrats 54
Republicans 15 Democrats 25
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 3
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
New MexicoRepublicans 31 Democrats 38
Republicans 16 Democrats 26
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 4
1 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Religious Freedom, RFRA
New YorkRepublicans 42 Democrats 104
Republicans 31 Democrats 32
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 4
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
North CarolinaRepublicans 75 Democrats 45
Republicans 35 Democrats 15
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 13
3 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Anti-Transgender, Religious Freedom, Conscience and Refusal Clauses
North DakotaRepublicans 81 Democrats 13
Republicans 38 Democrats 9
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 66 Democrats 32
Republicans 23 Democrats 9
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 72 Democrats 27
Republicans 38 Democrats 8
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 35
1 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Religious Freedom, RFRA
OregonRepublicans 25 Democrats 35
Republicans 13 Democrats 17
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 1
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
PennsylvaniaRepublicans 120 Democrats 81
Republicans 33 Democrats 16
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 10 Democrats 64 Independent 1
Republicans 4 Democrats 33
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 1
1 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Religious Freedom, RFRA
South CarolinaRepublicans 80 Democrats 44
Republicans 27 Democrats 18
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 17
2 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom
South DakotaRepublicans 60 Democrats 10
Republicans 29 Democrats 6
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 11
1 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom
TennesseeRepublicans 69 Democrats 25
Republicans 27 Democrats 4
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 34
7 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Anti-Transgender, Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom, RFRA
TexasRepublicans 95 Democrats 55
Republicans 21 Democrats 10
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 50
4 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom, RFRA
UtahRepublicans 61 Democrats 13
Republicans 24 Democrats 5
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 5
2 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom
VermontRepublicans 53 Democrats 81 Independent 7
Republicans 7 Democrats 19
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database none
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
VirginiaRepublicans 50 Democrats 49
Republicans 21 Democrats 19
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 48 Democrats 50
Republicans 23 Democrats 26
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 17
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
West VirginiaRepublicans 64 Democrats 35 Independent 1
Republicans 22 Democrats 12
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 8
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
WisconsinRepublicans 64 Democrats 35
Republicans 18 Democrats 15
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 4
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
WyomingRepublicans 51 Democrats 9
Republicans 27 Democrats 3
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 5
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
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