Black Community News News and Commentary for Christians
Senator Chuck Schumer introduced a bill called the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), which President Bill Clinton signed into law in 1993. In theory, such a law shouldn’t have been necessary.
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects citizens’ freedom to exercise their religion, which is reflected in state constitutions. But courts began to limit religious freedom in some cases, as long as the limits applied generally. Sen. Schumer didn’t like that. Thanks, Senator!
After federal RFRA became law, states also began to pass RFRA laws.
Iowa didn’t have one. Until Tuesday.
Governor Kim Reynolds signed SF2095 into law in a private ceremony. An excerpt:
A person whose exercise of religion has been substantially burdened in violation of this chapter may assert such violation as a claim or defense in a judicial or administrative proceeding and obtain appropriate relief…
The new law also restores the “compelling governmental interest” test to justify a law that discriminates on the basis of religion — a high burden.
An “LGBTQ rights” advocate said the legislation is aimed at discriminating against homosexuals. Wrong. The legislation is aimed at protecting the rights of religious Americans who oppose the homosexual lifestyle, among other things, and any infringement of these rights because of their opposition.
“Thirty years ago, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act passed almost unanimously at the federal level,” Gov. Reynolds said. “Since then, religious rights have increasingly come under attack. Today, Iowa enacts a law to protect these unalienable rights—just as twenty-six other states have done—upholding the ideals that are the very foundation of our country.”
For Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), whose mission is protecting and restoring the religious liberty of individuals and organizations, laws like this make their job easier.
“Americans should be able to defend their rights when their government stops them from living and worshiping according to their faith,” said AFL lawyer Greg Chafuen. “This law provides a sensible balancing test for courts to use when reviewing government policies that infringe upon the religious freedom rights of Iowans. The law doesn’t determine who will win every disagreement, but it does ensure that every Iowan—regardless of their religious creed or political power—receives a fair hearing when government action forces a person to violate his or her religious beliefs.”
Photo credit: By Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America – Kim Reynolds, CC BY-SA 2.0, link
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