ORIGINAL HOUSE ENGROSSED
BILL NO. HB0207
ENROLLED ACT NO. 66, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2025 GENERAL SESSION
1
AN ACT relating to religious freedom; creating the
Religious Freedom Restoration Act; providing definitions;
limiting specified governmental actions that burden
religious freedom; authorizing claims and defenses against
governmental action that burden religious freedom;
providing exceptions; and providing for an effective date.
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:
Section 1. W.S. 9-25-101 through 9-25-104 are created
to read:
CHAPTER 25
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
ARTICLE 1
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM RESTORATION ACT
9-25-101. Religious Freedom Restoration Act; short
title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Wyoming
Religious Freedom Restoration Act."
9-25-102. Definitions.
(a) As used in this act:
(i) "Burden" means any action that, either
directly or indirectly, constrains, inhibits, curtails or
denies the exercise of religion including, but not limited
to:
(A) Withholding of benefits; ORIGINAL HOUSE ENGROSSED
BILL NO. HB0207
ENROLLED ACT NO. 66, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2025 GENERAL SESSION
2 (B) Assessing criminal, civil or
administrative penalties;
(C) Exclusion from governmental programs;
or
(D) Denial of access to governmental
facilities.
(ii) "Compelling governmental interest" means a
governmental interest of the highest order that cannot
otherwise be achieved without burdening the exercise of
religion;
(iii) "Exercise of religion" means the practice
or observance of religion, including an act or refusal to
act, that is substantially motivated by a sincerely held
religious belief, whether or not compelled by or central to
a system of religious belief;
(iv) "Person" means any natural person,
association, partnership, corporation, religious
institution or other legal entity;
(v) "State action" means the implementation or
application of any law, including but not limited to state
and local laws, ordinances, rules, regulations and
policies, whether statutory or otherwise, or action by the
state or a political subdivision, local government,
municipality, instrumentality or public official authorized
by law in the state of Wyoming;
(vi) "This act" means W.S. 9-25‑101 through
9-25-104. ORIGINAL HOUSE ENGROSSED
BILL NO. HB0207
ENROLLED ACT NO. 66, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2025 GENERAL SESSION
39-25-103. Limitation on state action; exception.
(a) State action shall not substantially burden a
person's right to the exercise of religion, even if the
burden results from a rule of general applicability, unless
it is demonstrated that applying the burden to that
person's exercise of religion in that particular instance
is:
(i) Essential to further a compelling
governmental interest; and
(ii) The least restrictive means of furthering
that compelling governmental interest.
(b) This act shall apply to all state and local laws,
ordinances, rules, regulations and policies, and their
implementation, whether statutory or otherwise and whether
adopted before, on or after the effective date of this act.
9-25-104. Claims.
A person whose exercise of religion has been substantially
burdened or is likely to be substantially
violation of this act may assert the violation or impending
violation as a claim or defense in a judicial or
administrative proceeding, regardless of whether the state
or one (1) of its political subdivisions is a party to the
proceeding. The person asserting the claim or defense may
obtain appropriate relief, including injunctive relief and
declaratory relief. ORIGINAL HOUSE ENGROSSED
BILL NO. HB0207
ENROLLED ACT NO. 66, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2025 GENERAL SESSION
4Section 2. This act is effective July 1, 2025.
(END)
Speaker of the HousePresident of the SenateGovernorTIME APPROVED: _________DATE APPROVED: _________
I hereby certify that this act originated in the House.
Chief Clerk