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The Latest from Religious Liberty in the States
The Latest from Religious Liberty in the States
Announcing RLS 2026’s #1 State: Arkansas
Arkansas has claimed first place in the 2026 edition of the Religious Liberty in the States (RLS) index. After ranking sixth in 2025, the Natural State surged to the top this year, overtaking Florida, which dropped to third place. Arkansas now protects 89 percent of the religious liberty safeguards tracked in the 2026 RLS index. This remarkable achievement reflects the…
Tennessee has made major strides in protecting religious liberty, rising from tenth place in 2025 to second place in the 2026 Religious Liberty in the States (RLS) index. The Volunteer State now protects 85 percent of the religious liberty safeguards tracked in RLS 2026. That score makes Tennessee one of only two states to earn…
In recent years, Florida has demonstrated a strong commitment to protecting religious liberty. The Sunshine State ranked second in the RLS 2024 index and rose to first place in RLS 2025. This year, Florida remains near the top of the rankings, but it has moved to third place behind Arkansas and Tennessee. That shift is…
The Religious Liberty in the States (RLS) index is designed to measure how well each state protects religious liberty through law. Since its launch in 2022, RLS has expanded each year to reflect additional areas where states can protect the free exercise of religion. In its fifth edition, RLS now measures 50 legal protections across…
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News from Previous Years
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…
Announcing RLS 2025’s Runner-Up State: Montana
Montana has successfully climbed the leaderboard in this year’s Religious Liberty in the States (RLS) index, ranking second by protecting 71 percent of the religious safeguards tracked in the 2025 index. Since placing 24th with a score of 40 percent in the inaugural 2022 RLS report, Big Sky Country has continually climbed in the rankings….
Why Illinois Fell to #3: Understanding the Shift in RLS 2025
Illinois led the nation in religious liberty protections for two years in a row, 2023 and 2024, but this year there is a new leader. In 2023, the state protected 85 percent of the safeguards the Religious Liberty in the States (RLS) report tracked, claiming the first-place position from the previous champion, Mississippi. But in…
Must Read Alaska: Why Does Alaska Score So Low on Religious Liberty Ranking?
What makes The Great Land score so low when it comes to religious liberty? The main culprits are the categories of sterilization and contraception refusal, areas in which Alaska received zero marks.
Florida Daily: Florida Gets High Marks for Religious Liberty
In 2023, Florida was ranked number 8 among religious liberty, in 2024, it moved up to number 2, according to a new report by the Center for Religion, Culture and Democracy (CRCD).
The Baltimore Sun: Maryland Deserves Credit for Protecting Religious Freedom
Recent findings from the 2024 Religious Liberty in the States (RLS) report reveal a stark contrast between Maryland and Virginia in this regard, with Maryland far surpassing its southern neighbor.
Center for Public Justice: 2024 Report Highlights Surprising Rankings And Key Trends
The RLS annual reports assess how well states do on a range of important religious freedom protections, with the intent not only to measure the degree of protection in a state but also thereby to identify what each state can do to increase its protection.
The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio Ranks in Top 5 States for Protecting Religious Liberties, Study Finds
When it comes to protecting religious freedoms, Ohio ranks highly as one of the top states, according to a study from the conservative legal group First Liberty Institute.
Christian Post: Best and Worst States for Religious Liberty
For the second year in a row, Illinois has ranked as the best state for religious liberty because it has the most safeguards in place, while a majority of other states continue to lack adequate protections for people of faith.
Fox News: New Report Identifies Best and Worst US States for Religious Liberty
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.
Introducing a Comprehensive Guide to Enhancing Religious Liberty
Many readers come away from studying the RLS index with questions of how exactly their state can improve. That’s why the Center for Religion, Culture & Democracy (CRCD) has published a comprehensive guide that highlights the areas where improvements can be made to ensure robust safeguards for all citizens.
Announcing RLS 2024’s #1 State: Illinois
Illinois has once again earned the highest score in the Religious Liberty in the States (RLS) 2024 rankings, maintaining its position as the top state for protecting religious liberty. Despite this achievement, Illinois’ overall score has dropped slightly from the previous year, highlighting an area where the state can further improve its protections. The Land…
