Fox News: New Report Identifies Best and Worst US States for Religious Liberty

Editor’s Note: The following news story was published by Fox News on July 24, 2024, and is authored by Ashley DiMella, writer for Fox News Digital.

It is the First Amendment of the Constitution that protects religious freedom, with the Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause further safeguarding that right.

A recent report by First Liberty Institute, the Texas-based nonprofit Christian conservative legal organization, shows which U.S. states are making good on that promise — with others falling behind. 

The nonprofit compared how the 50 states protect religious liberty through legislation.

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The worst state for religious liberty based on the report is West Virginia at 25%.

First Liberty Institute noted that the state’s score rose from the previous year from 14%, due to the adoption of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

West Virginia’s Gov. Jim Justice, a Republican, signed the law in March prohibiting the state from substantially burdening someone’s constitutional right to freedom of religion unless doing so “is essential to further a compelling governmental interest,” the Associated Press reported at the time.

First Liberty noted on its website, “Many states are making big improvements, and the data clearly shows it. But there’s still plenty of room for progress.”

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Read the entire story at Fox News here.