Blog   Religious Freedom

A recent report released by Religious Liberty in the States ranked North Carolina number 32 based on legal safeguards surrounding issues such as abortion, marriage, and religious practices. This is an improvement from their 2023 report, where North Carolina ranked number 35. Illinois, Florida, and Montana were the top three respectively, while California, Alaska, and West Virginia were ranked the lowest.

What North Carolina has Done Well

The legal protections that North Carolina has implemented include:

• Availability of absentee voting;
• Protections for individuals and hospitals to refuse to perform an abortion;
• Health insurance mandates that provide for exemptions from contraceptive mandate, abortion mandate, and sterilization mandate;
• Protections for public officials to recuse themselves from performing a marriage that violates their religious beliefs;
• Protections for the consumption of alcohol by minors for ceremonial use;
• Immunization requirement exemptions; and
• Public K-12, college, and university students excused from school for religious observances.

Also worth noting here, although not included in the report, are the protections in place for healthcare practitioners who do not wish to participate in transgender surgeries or procedures on minors.

Where North Carolina Can Improve

There are several areas where North Carolina can implement additional protections. Some of the most notable include increased protections for those who refuse to sterilize an individual or provide them with contraception. In addition, they highlight the need for increased protections for clergy and organizations who do not wish to participate in non-traditional weddings. Finally, they highlight the fact that North Carolina has not passed a state law that adopts the principles of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which prohibits the federal government from “substantially burdening” a person’s exercise of religion unless “it demonstrates that application of the burden to the person: (1) furthers a compelling governmental interest; and (2) is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest.”

Overall, North Carolina is a wonderful state to live in, and our elected officials have taken many important steps to protect religious liberty. However, cases such as Jack Phillips’ reveal just how important some of these additional safeguards are. We invite you to join us in praying for our legislators and that North Carolina will continue to become a state where God is honored, religious freedom flourishes, families thrive, and life is cherished.