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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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2nd Session of the 54th
Legislature (2014)
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SENATE BILL 1846
By: Treat
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AS INTRODUCED
An Act
relating to the Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act;
stating legislative findings; stating purposes of
act; amending 51 O.S. 2011, Sections 252 and 253,
which relate to definitions and burden upon free
exercise of religion; modifying definitions;
authorizing certain action; authorizing certain
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relief;
providing
for
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codification; and providing an effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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SECTION 1.
NEW LAW
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A new section of law to be
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codified in the Oklahoma
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Statutes as Section 251.1 of Title 51, unless there is created a
duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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A.
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finds that:
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1.
The Legislature
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The framers of the
United States Constitution, recognizing free exercise of religion as
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an unalienable right,
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secured its protection in
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the First Amendment to the
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Constitution;
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2.
The framers of the
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Oklahoma Constitution,
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also recognizing free
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exercise of religion as an unalienable right, secured its protection
in the Oklahoma Constitution;
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3.
Laws and other
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state action "neutral"
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toward religion may burden
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exercise of religion as surely as laws intended to interfere with
religious exercise;
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4.
State action
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should not burden exercise
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of religion without
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compelling justification;
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5.
Prior to 1990,
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laws and other state
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action burdening exercise
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of religion had to be justified by compelling justification;
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6.
In Employment
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Division v. Smith, 494
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U.S. 872 (1990), the
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Supreme Court significantly curtailed the requirement that laws and
other state action burdening the free exercise of religion be
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justified by compelling
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justification;
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7.
Gonzales v. O
Centro Espirita Beneficente Uniao do Vegetal, 546 U.S. 418 (2006),
indicates that legislative bodies may enact statutory law for their
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jurisdictions requiring
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that laws and other state
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action burdening the free
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exercise of religion be justified by a compelling governmental
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interest. Many states have
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done so, passing laws
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similar to this Act; and
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8.
The compelling interest test set forth in prior federal
court rulings and this act is a workable test for striking sensible
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balances between religious
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liberty and competing
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governmental interests.
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B.
The purposes of this Act are to:
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1.
Restore the
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compelling interest test
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and to guarantee its
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application in all cases where the exercise of religion is burdened
by state action; and
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2.
Provide a claim or
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defense to a person or
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persons whose exercise of
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religion is burdened by state action.
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SECTION 2.
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AMENDATORY
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2011, Section 252, is
51 O.S.
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amended to read as follows:
Section 252.
In this act:
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1.
"Demonstrates"
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means the burdens of going
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forward with the evidence
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and of persuasion under the standard of clear and convincing
evidence are met;
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2.
"Exercise of
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religion" means the
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practice, observance and
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exercise of religion under Article 1, Section 2, of the Constitution
of the State of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act, and
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the First Amendment to the
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Constitution of the United
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States.
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It includes, but
is not limited to, the ability to act or refuse to act in a manner
substantially motivated by one's sincerely held religious belief,
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whether or not the
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exercise is compulsory or
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central to a larger system
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of religious belief;
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3.
"Fraudulent claim"
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means a claim that is
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dishonest in fact or that
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is made principally for a patently improper purpose, such as to
harass the opposing party;
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4.
"Frivolous claim"
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means a claim which lacks
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merit under existing law
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and which cannot be supported by a good faith argument for the
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extension, modification,
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or reversal of existing
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law or the establishment
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of new law;
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5.
"Governmental
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entity" means any branch,
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department, agency, or
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instrumentality of state government, or any official or other person
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acting under color of
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state law, or any
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political subdivision of
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this state;
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6.
"Prevails" means
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to obtain prevailing party
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status as defined by
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courts construing the federal Civil Rights Attorney's Fees Awards
Act of 1976, 42 U.S.C. 1988; and
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7.
"Substantially
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burden" means to inhibit
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or curtail religiously
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motivated practice directly or indirectly constrain, inhibit,
curtail or deny the exercise of religion by any person or compel any
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action contrary to a
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person's exercise of
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religion and includes, but
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is not limited to, withholding benefits, assessing criminal, civil
or administrative penalties or excluding from governmental programs
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or access to governmental
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facilities.
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AMENDATORY
follows:
SECTION 3.
51 O.S. 2011, Section 253, is amended to read as
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Section 253.
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Except as provided in
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subsection B of this
A.
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section, no governmental entity shall substantially burden a
person's free exercise of religion even if the burden results from a
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rule of general
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applicability.
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B.
No governmental
entity shall substantially burden a person's free exercise of
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religion unless it
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demonstrates that
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application of the burden
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to the person is:
1.
Essential to further a compelling governmental interest; and
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2.
The least
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restrictive means of
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furthering that compelling
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governmental interest.
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C.
A person whose
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exercise of religion has
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been substantially
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burdened, or is likely to be substantially burdened, in violation of
this act may assert such violation or impending violation as a claim
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or defense in a judicial
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proceeding, regardless of
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whether the state or a
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political subdivision is a party to the proceeding.
The person
asserting such a claim or defense may obtain appropriate relief,
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including relief against
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the state or its political
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subdivisions.
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Appropriate
relief includes, but is not limited to, injunctive or declaratory
relief, compensatory damages and attorney fees and costs.
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SECTION 4.
This act
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shall become effective
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November 1, 2014.
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54-2-2565
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