News
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…
Announcing RLS 2026’s Runner-Up State: Tennessee
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…
Why Florida Fell to #3: Understanding the Shift in RLS 2026
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…
How RLS Expanded in the Fifth Edition
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…
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…
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…
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…
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.
