Announcing RLS 2025’s #1 State: Florida

Florida has claimed first place in the 2025 edition of the Religious Liberty in the States (RLS) index. After being in second place in 2024, the state has improved again this year, overtaking the two-time defending leader, Illinois, which dropped to third place.

The Sunshine State protects 75 percent of the religious liberty safeguards tracked in the 2025 RLS index. This remarkable achievement reflects the state’s substantial commitment to protecting religious freedom through a wide array of legal safeguards. Florida’s statutory framework ensures that individuals can freely practice their faith in everyday life—whether in health care, education, family matters, or employment—without undue government interference. Its impressive showing includes newly adopted protections that enhance the ability of citizens to act according to their deeply held beliefs, making Florida an exemplar for other states seeking to strengthen religious liberty protections.

Florida’s score is nearly four times higher than that of the lowest-ranked state, West Virginia, which earned a score of just 20 percent. Even among the states with the best religious liberty protections as measured in the 2025 index, Florida leads by a decent margin; its score surpasses second-place Montana by nearly five percentage points (70 percent) and third-place Illinois by more than six percentage points (69 percent).

Leading with New Safeguards

The RLS 2025 report expanded its index by introducing eight items (for a total of forty-seven) and four safeguards (for a total of twenty), reflecting the continued evolution of the measure of  religious liberty protections across the states. Florida stood out by already having several of these new safeguards in place, contributing to its rise to the top of the rankings.

Notably, Florida was one of the states that acted quickly to protect houses of worship from government-mandated closures. This protection emerged in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as states recognized the need to ensure that religious gatherings are not treated more restrictively than comparable secular activities. Eighteen states passed such statutes, and Florida was among them. This contributed to Florida’s rise to first place in the RLS rankings, setting it apart from states like Illinois, which lacks this protection.

However, it’s worth noting that Florida only has a score of about 75 percent, meaning there are 25 percent of the protections that Floridians do not have in place. For instance, the state has not passed a provision on religious discrimination in foster parent eligibility, there are no protections for the ceremonial use of alcohol by minors (such as communion), and the state does not protect private businesses who want to decline participation in certain wedding ceremonies that conflict with their beliefs. If Florida wants to remain in the lead, it should consider adding these and other safeguards.

Florida’s Future

Despite Florida’s impressive performance, there are opportunities for improvement. But Florida’s success in protecting religious liberty is proof that with political will and clear legislative action, significant progress is possible and impactful.

Every state has the opportunity to strengthen its legal protections for religious liberty. The RLS index makes these opportunities transparent and actionable. Florida’s first-place finish should inspire state-level policymakers and citizens in every state to protect everyone’s ability to live according to their faith.

Want to see where your state ranks? Check out the RLS index state ranking or access the report to learn more.