In 2023, Florida was ranked number 8 among religious liberty, in 2024, it moved up to number 2, according to a new report by the Center for Religion, Culture and Democracy (CRCD).
Its “Religious Liberty in the States” report looks at how states implement religious liberty on various issues.
The list includes abortion refusal, sterilization refusal, contraception refusal, health insurance mandates, non-participation by clergy, religious entity refusal, public office recusal, for-profit business nonparticipation, clergy as mandatory reporters, houses of worship protected from closing, ceremonial use of alcohol by minors, religious freedom restoration act, childhood immunization requirements and excused absences for religious reasons.
The top states were Illinois, Florida, Montana, and Arkansas, and Mississippi and Ohio tied for fifth. Florida, as one of the most improved states, jumped by double digits.
Besides Governor Ron DeSantis, CRCD praised the Florida Legislature for protecting religious freedom.
During the COVID shutdowns, Florida was praised for allowing religious institutions to worship and hold church meetings when many other states told religious groups they were not permitted to hold services of worship, weddings, or funerals.
The CRDC wasn’t the only group giving Florida high scores on how the state handles its business. The conservative Cato Institute released its annual “Freedom in the 50 States” and listed Florida as number 2, behind New Hampshire as the state that was business-friendly in taxes, regulations, the Second Amendment, drug legalization, incarceration rates, and taxation.
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