Wyoming governor signs law strengthening religious freedom protections

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act into law March 6, expanding protections for individuals seeking to live out their faith without government interference.

The law, which takes effect July 1, establishes legal safeguards to ensure that religious practices are not unduly restricted by state or local policies. It prohibits state action from substantially burdening a person’s exercise of religion unless it meets the highest legal standard — proving that the burden is “essential to furthering a compelling governmental interest” and that it is the “least restrictive” means of doing so.

Greg Chafuen, senior counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), welcomed the new law, stating that it provides a “sensible balancing test” for courts to apply when reviewing potential violations of religious rights. 

“The law doesn’t determine who will win every disagreement, but it does ensure that every person — regardless of their religious creed or political power — receives a fair hearing when government action burdens a person’s freedom to live out his or her religious beliefs,” Chafuen said in a March 7 press release. 

Under the new law, individuals who believe their religious freedom has been substantially burdened, or is at risk of being burdened, can raise a claim or defense in court or administrative proceedings. The act applies to all state and local laws, policies, and government actions, whether past, present, or future.

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