Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 23, 2025 / 17:13 pm (CNA).
In the past year Florida has been the most successful state at protecting religious liberty through safeguards in the state’s statutes or constitution, while West Virginia has been the least successful, according to the fourth annual Religious Liberty in the States report from First Liberty Institute.
First Liberty — the largest legal organization in the U.S. dedicated solely to defending religious liberty — released its annual index ranking religious liberty protections for each of the 50 states. The report, conducted by the institute’s Center for Religion, Culture, and Democracy (CRCD), focuses on select legal safeguards of religious exercise in laws and constitutions.
The 2025 report was revealed on July 21 by the CRCD team at an event with Gov. Ron DeSantis to celebrate Florida holding the No. 1 spot for the first time since the research started.
“Florida holds several No. 1 rankings, leading the nation in education, economy, and tourism — and now, Florida is No. 1 in religious liberty,” DeSantis said at the event. “Religious liberty is critical to the foundation and function of America, and I am proud that Florida excels in protecting this right.”
The report assigns a percentage score to each state based on 47 legal protections that states have to protect religious liberty within six categories: government, health care, economic life, religious life, and family and education. These protections are aggregated into 20 “safeguards,” which researchers average to produce one index score per state.
The analysis determined that Florida holds the top spot with an accumulated score of 74.6%. Montana (70.6%), Illinois (68.8%), Ohio (66.9%), and Mississippi (66.4%) make up the rest of the top five rankings.
In last place, for the third year in a row, is West Virginia with 19.6%. The state did make some progress by passing a Religious Freedom Restoration Act in 2023 but still holds the lowest score. Also in the bottom five is Wyoming (23.3%), Michigan (27.4%), Nebraska (29.1%), and Vermont (29.3%).
The majority of the states fall within the 25% to 50% range, meaning there is “significant room for improvement.” CRCD’s researchers found that 38 states are capable of doing more as most states, on average, are employing “less than half of the safeguards measured to protect religious liberty.”
Since the 2022 Religious Liberty in the States report, Montana has improved the most. It has raised its score by about 31%, specifically due to recent legislation protecting rights of health care workers.
Since 2024, Idaho has improved the most, due to new protections in the categories of health care and family.
With the new research, First Liberty Institute and CRCD reported they hope “that legislators and concerned citizens will use our findings to identify ways their states can better protect religious liberty.”
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Lockdown City, MI
“follow the science, and be sure to leave 6 feet between each fact.”
Per Lawyer Monthly: Lisa Domski, a Catholic woman who was terminated for refusing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, has been awarded nearly $13 million in damages. Detroit jury ruled that Blue Cross Blue Shield discriminated against Lisa Domski, by denying her request for a religious exemption from the company’s vaccine mandate, which she made based on her “sincerely held religious beliefs.”
Now if only Catholic schools would allow unvaccinated children to attend. And I mean from all vaccines, not just COVID.
Additionally, the Church should stop discriminating against the unvaccinated in employment law (not making any type of vaccination a condition of employment) or in the seminaries/priesthood.
Ditto “Catholic” hospitals.
I don’t see any of this happening
I’m guessing it varies by diocese but my children attended private and parochial Catholic schools and they weren’t vaccinated against certain viruses. We had a religious exemption for those. It was never an issue. Perhaps that’s changed more recently?
Freedom of religion also means freedom from other people’s religions. God save us from people who wear their religion on their sleeve and try to inflict it on other people.
Evangelizing is a freedom we enjoy in our nation. Granted some may attempt this is annoying ways but it’s still their right.
Up to a point. If Jehovah Witnesses knock on my door every day,this is not practicing their religion, it is harassment. They appear to be looking for trouble. Perhaps they will find it?
Jehovah’s Witnesses are generally courteous people, at least the ones I’ve encountered. I met some up on top of a scenic overlook earlier this year. Two JW ladies were sitting at a little table with their tracts in case any travelers were interested. I wished them a blessed day and they wished me the same.
I think Catholics could take some cues from the JW’s. How many times have you pulled off the highway to see a view and found the Legion of Mary or the KC with Catholic literature?
🙂
I’m really surprised, in fact, shocked ,that Illinois is right up there with the states that actually protect religious liberty. For decades, the state government has been corrupt–five of our governors have gone to prison in MY lifetime! (I’m 68.) And if a law is liberal, Illinois will pass it! Of course, there is a big difference between encouraging religious liberty–and allowing people to bring their religion into workplaces, schools, and of course, into the chambers of the State Government to request changes in the laws of the state regarding abortion. This is a dangerous state if you live inside a uterus!
I love in a state well known for political corruption also Mrs. Sharon but religious freedom is still very much protected here. And since Dobbs we are 100% free of legally enshrined feticides.
I’m not sure that corruption always indicates an hostility to religion. People are complicated.
I love my state also but I meant to type ” live “.
🙄