HB 17-1013

House Bill 17-1013, also known as the "Free Exercise of Religion" bill in Colorado, protects individuals' right to practice their religion without interference from state laws or actions. It allows people to act based on their religious beliefs unless the government can prove that stopping them is absolutely necessary for a very important reason and there are no other ways to achieve that goal. The law covers both doing something because of your faith and not doing something due to your sincerely held religious beliefs, but it doesn't apply when those actions involve discrimination based on race or ethnicity. This bill has been signed into law, meaning it is now official state legislation and must be followed by all government entities in Colorado.

Official Summary

The bill: Specifies that no state action may burden a person's exercise of religion, even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability, unless it is demonstrated that applying the burden to a person's exercise of religion is essential to further a compelling governmental interest and the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest; Defines 'exercise of religion' as the practice or observance of religion. The bill specifies that exercise of religion includes the ability to act or refuse to act in a manner substantially motivated by a person's sincerely held religious beliefs, whether or not the exercise is compulsory or central to a larger system of religious belief; except that it does not include the ability to act or refuse to act based on race or ethnicity. Provides a claim or defense to a person whose exercise of religion is burdened by state action; and Specifies that nothing in the bill creates any rights by an employee against an employer unless the employer is a government employer.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Votes