Section 201 – Provisions governing solemnizing or recognizing a marriage — Prohibition against employment actions.

Effective 5/12/2015
63G-20-201. Provisions governing solemnizing or recognizing a marriage — Prohibition against employment actions.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a state or local government or a state or local government official may not:

• (1) require a religious official, when acting as such, or religious organization to solemnize or recognize for ecclesiastical purposes a marriage that is contrary to that religious official’s or religious organization’s religious beliefs;

• (2) if the religious official or religious organization is authorized to solemnize a marriage by Section 30-1-6, deny a religious official, when acting as such, or religious organization the authority to legally solemnize a legal marriage based on the religious official’s or religious organization’s refusal to solemnize any legal marriage that is contrary to the religious official’s or religious organization’s religious beliefs;

• (3) require a religious official, when acting as such, or religious organization to provide goods, accommodations, advantages, privileges, services, facilities, or grounds for activities connected with the solemnization or celebration of a marriage that is contrary to that religious official’s or religious organization’s religious beliefs; or

• (4) require a religious official, when acting as such, or religious organization to promote marriage through religious programs, counseling, courses, or retreats in a way that is contrary to that religious official’s or religious organization’s religious beliefs.

Enacted by Chapter 46, 2015 General Session