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 77 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 16 Independent 1
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 31 Democrats 29
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 17
5 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom, Anti-Transgender, RFRA
CaliforniaRepublicans 20 Democrats 60
Republicans 11 Democrats 29
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
Republicans 16 Democrats 19
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 11
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
ConnecticutRepublicans 59 Democrats 90
Republicans 13 Democrats 20
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 15 Democrats 26
Republicans 9 Democrats 12
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 71 Democrats 46
Republicans 23 Democrats 17
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 105 Democrats 75
Republicans 35 Democrats 21
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 5 Democrats 46
Republicans 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
IdahoRepublicans 56 Democrats 14
Republicans 28 Democrats 7
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 44 Democrats 74
Republicans 19 Democrats 40
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 67 Democrats 33
Republicans 40 Democrats 10
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 16
3 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom, RFRA
IowaRepublicans 54 Democrats 46
Republicans 32 Democrats 18
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 15
1 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom
KansasRepublicans 84 Democrats 41
Republicans 28 Democrats 11 Independent 1
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 61 Democrats 39
Republicans 28 Democrats 9
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 62 Democrats 37 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 57 Democrats 89 Independent 5
Republicans 14 Democrats 21
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 42 Democrats 99
Republicans 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 32 Democrats 127 Independent 1
Republicans 6 Democrats 34
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 16
6 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom
MichiganRepublicans 58 Democrats 52
Republicans 22 Democrats 16
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 58 Democrats 75
Republicans 35 Democrats 32
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 48
Republicans 33 Democrats 19
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 115 Democrats 47
Republicans 24 Democrats 10
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 52
2 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom, RFRA
MontanaRepublicans 58 Democrats 42
Republicans 30 Democrats 20
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 13 Democrats 29
Republicans 8 Democrats 13
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 3
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
New HampshireRepublicans 167 Democrats 233
Republicans 10 Democrats 14
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 24 Democrats 46
Republicans 16 Democrats 26
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 7
1 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Religious Freedom, RFRA
New YorkRepublicans 41 Democrats 109
Republicans 23 Democrats 40
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 4
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
North CarolinaRepublicans 65 Democrats 55
Republicans 28 Democrats 21
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 DakotaRepublicans 79 Democrats 15
Republicans 37 Democrats 10
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 61 Democrats 38
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 77 Democrats 24
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
OregonRepublicans 22 Democrats 38
Republicans 12 Democrats 18
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 2
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
PennsylvaniaRepublicans 110 Democrats 93
Republicans 29 Democrats 21
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 8 Democrats 66 Independent 1
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 CarolinaRepublicans 80 Democrats 44
Republicans 27 Democrats 19
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 59 Democrats 11
Republicans 30 Democrats 5
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 28 Democrats 5
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 44
7 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Anti-Transgender, Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom, RFRA
TexasRepublicans 83 Democrats 64
Republicans 19 Democrats 12
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 66
4 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
Related to: Conscience and Refusal Clauses, Religious Freedom, RFRA
UtahRepublicans 59 Democrats 16
Republicans 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 43 Democrats 94 Independent 5
Republicans 6 Democrats 18
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database none
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
VirginiaRepublicans 51 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 41 Democrats 57
Republicans 20 Democrats 29
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 17
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
West VirginiaRepublicans 59 Democrats 41
Republicans 20 Democrats 14
Total Religious Imposition Laws in the Database 8
0 Active Religious Imposition Laws in the Database
WisconsinRepublicans 63 Democrats 36
Republicans 19 Democrats 14
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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