ENROLLED
2022 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 953
BY REPRESENTATIVES SEABAUGH, AMEDEE, BACALA, BAGLEY, BISHOP,
BUTLER, CARRIER, CORMIER, COUSSAN, CREWS, DAVIS, DESHOTEL,
EDMONDS, EDMONSTON, EMERSON, FIRMENT, FONTENOT, HORTON,
MIKE JOHNSON, MACK, MCFARLAND, NELSON, CHARLES OWEN, RISER,
ROMERO, SCHAMERHORN, THOMPSON, MI GUEZ, AND GAROFALO
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 13:5233, relative to the Preservation of Religious Freedom Act;
3 to provide relative to the free exercise of religion; to provide for protection for places
4 of worship; to prohibit certain restrictions against places of worship; and to provide
5 for related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 13:5233 is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
8 ยง5233. Free exercise of religion protected
9 A. Government shall not substantially burden a person's exercise of religion,
10 even if the burden results from a facially neutral rule or a rule of general
11 applicability, unless it demonstrates that application of the burden to the person is
12 both:
13 (1) In furtherance of a compelling governmental interest.
14 (2) The least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental
15 interest.
16 B. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the
17 government shall provide protections of the highest order to every church,
18 synagogue, temple, or other place of worship and shall not discriminate against any
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HB NO. 953 ENROLLED
1 church, synagogue, temple, or other place of worship by requiring restrictions that
2 are greater than the least severe restrictions that are imposed upon or enforced
3 against any secular business, service, or assembly.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.