By CatholicVote | Created at 2024-10-29 18:31:57 | Updated at 2024-10-30 21:31:09
1 day ago
CV NEWS FEED // Last Friday, Napa Legal Institute released its second annual Faith and Freedom Index for 2024, urging Americans not to rely solely on federal laws and policies to protect religious freedom.
The report emphasized that state laws are crucial in allowing local religious institutions — such as churches, religious schools, and charities — to thrive or face challenges, especially amid uncertainties about the incoming administration’s stance on religious freedoms.
According to Napa Legal’s press release, the Faith and Freedom Index measures how state laws impact faith-based, federally tax-exempt nonprofits. This year’s index highlighted that certain states, like Massachusetts, Michigan, and Washington, overly restrict and burden these organizations. Conversely, states such as Alabama and Indiana scored highest for offering robust protections, with policies that other states could potentially emulate.
The index ranks states according to an overall score comprising two categories: religious freedom and regulatory freedom. Both categories include a variety of markers that factor into their ranking.
Napa Legal Counsel Frank DeVito pointed out the vital role that faith-based nonprofits play in society.
“Faith-based nonprofits fulfill a critical role in a healthy society,” he said.
According to DeVito, the success of these organizations hinges on the nature of state laws, including those governing religious freedom, nondiscrimination, charitable registration, and tax policies. These factors, he noted, significantly impact whether a religious nonprofit is “free to accomplish its mission or will be hindered by burdensome laws and regulations.”
Since the index’s initial release in 2023, a few states have made strides to enhance their protections for religious organizations. Iowa, Nebraska, and Utah have passed state-level Religious Freedom Restoration Acts, which bolster these states’ religious freedom scores and better secure faith-based organizations’ operational rights. Napa Legal noted that though no state has reached a perfect score, Alabama and Indiana scored the highest for balancing protections with supportive regulatory frameworks.
Napa Legal’s Vice President and Executive Director Mary Margaret Beecher underscored the index’s call to action.
“The Faith and Freedom Index clearly shows that states must actively engage in the battle for religious freedom and a flourishing civil society,” she said.
Beecher highlighted that faith-based nonprofits are particularly essential this election year, as “many Americans are uncertain about the future of our nation and are seeing escalating attacks on religious freedom and conscience rights across the country.”
Napa Legal’s broader mission focuses on equipping religious organizations to thrive within complex legal frameworks. A detailed version of the Faith and Freedom Index can also be viewed as a whitepaper, and the press conference on this year’s report can be viewed here.
