Arkansas is the fourth best state in the nation when it comes to protecting religious liberty, according to a new report.
First Liberty’s Center for Religion, Culture and Democracy released its annual Religious Liberty in the States report earlier this month. The report ranks all 50 states based on 16 different religious liberty policies — such as policies protecting religious liberty in healthcare, at school, in religious ceremonies, and in other contexts.
Arkansas ranked fourth in the nation, behind Montana, Florida, and Illinois.
Arkansas has taken bold steps to protect the free exercise of religion. The state passed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in 2015 and the Conscience Protection Act in 2023.
Wedding venues, bakeries, photography studios, and florist shops all have come under fire, because their owners wanted to operate according to their deeply held convictions. People should not have to choose between their livelihood and their religious convictions. That is why it is so important for our laws to protect religious liberty as much as possible.
The Religious Liberty in the States report outlines areas of the law where Arkansas’ religious freedom laws could be better. Family Council plans to support better protections for religious liberty when the state legislature convenes in January.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.
