Utah Legislature passes bill to codify state version of Religious Freedom Restoration Act

The Utah Legislature has passed a bill to make Utah the next state to adopt its  own version of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act — after it was changed to include language making clear it’s not meant to conflict with previously legalized discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people. 

The Utah House on Thursday voted unanimously to approve SB150. The bill now goes to Gov. Spencer Cox. 

The federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act was approved in 1993 to allow federal regulations that clash with religious beliefs to be challenged. Since then, 35 other states have passed similar protections in state law.

Utah Senate passes ‘religious freedom’ bill after compromise with LGBTQ+ advocates

The bill would codify in state law current federal religious freedom protections if Congress were to ever repeal the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), which allows Utahns to challenge government regulations they believe interfere with their “sincerely held” religious beliefs.

The bill also includes intent language specifying it shouldn’t be interpreted in a way that could disrupt the “balance” Utah has struck with previous laws on “religious freedom with other important civil rights.” 

In 2015, the Utah Legislature with the passage of SB296 banned sexual orientation and gender identity-based discrimination in housing and hiring while also providing safeguards for religious freedom, known as the “Utah Compromise” because The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and LGBTQ+ advocates all backed the bill. 

Most recently, Utah lawmakers also struck a compromise with LGBTQ+ advocates last year when agreeing to enshrine in state law Utah’s 2020 administrative ban on conversion therapy while also clarifying language that created ambiguity and concerns for Utah therapists. 

The religious freedom bill’s House sponsor, Rep. Jordan Teuscher, R-South Jordan, noted groups including Equality Utah, the state’s largest LGBTQ+ advocacy group, no longer have concerns with the bill after the Senate added the language to preserve LGBTQ+ legal protections. 

Tuescher called it a “really important bill” to ensure Utah code prohibits government entities from substantially burdening a person’s free exercise of religion and sincerely held beliefs. 

“This bill as drafted will be the strongest RFRA law that exists in the nation,” Tuescher said, adding “Utah should be leading out on this issue.”