HB 215 2022
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0215-00
Page 1 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to emergency orders prohibiting 2
religious services or activities; creating s. 252.64, 3
F.S.; defining the term "religious institution"; 4
providing that an emergency order may not expressly 5
prohibit a religious institution from regular 6
religious services or activities; providing an 7
exception under certain circumstances; providing an 8
effective date. 9
10
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State o f Florida: 11
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Section 1. Section 252.64, Florida Statutes, is created to 13
read: 14
252.64 Protection of religious institutions. — 15
(1) For purposes of this section, the term "religious 16
institution" has the same meaning as in s. 496.404. 17
(2) An emergency order authorized by this part may not 18
expressly prohibit a religious institution from conducting 19
regular religious services or activities. However, a general 20
provision in an emergency order which applies uniformly to all 21
entities in the affected jurisdicti on may be applied to a 22
religious institution if the provision is in furtherance of a 23
compelling governmental interest and is the least restrictive 24
means of furthering that compelling governmental interest. 25
HB 215 2022
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0215-00
Page 2 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022. 26