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2025 Utah Code
Title 53 - Public Safety Code
Chapter 2a - Emergency Management Act
Part 2 - Disaster Response and Recovery Act
Section 219 - Religious practice during a state of emergency.
Universal Citation:
UT Code § 53-2a-219 (2025)
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Effective 5/5/2021
53-2a-219. Religious practice during a state of emergency.
Enacted by Chapter 437, 2021 General Session
53-2a-219. Religious practice during a state of emergency.
- (1) During a state of emergency declared as described in this chapter:
- (a) the governor or chief executive officer of a political subdivision may not impose a restriction on a religious gathering that is more restrictive than a restriction on any other relevantly similar gathering; and
- (b) an individual, while acting or purporting to act within the course and scope of the individual's official government capacity, may not:
- (i) prevent a religious gathering that is held in a manner consistent with any order or restriction issued pursuant to this part; or
- (ii) impose a penalty for a previous religious gathering that was held in a manner consistent with any order or restriction issued pursuant to this part.
- (2) Upon proper grounds, a court of competent jurisdiction may grant an injunction to prevent the violation of this section.
- (3) During a state of emergency declared as described in this title, the governor or the chief executive of a political subdivision shall not issue an executive order or impose or implement a regulation that substantially burdens an individual's exercise of religion unless the governor or chief executive officer of the political subdivision demonstrates that the application of the burden to the individual:
- (a) is in furtherance of a compelling government interest; and
- (b) is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling government interest.
- (4) Notwithstanding Subsections (1) and (3), an executive order shall allow reasonable accommodations for an individual to perform or participate in a religious practice or rite.
Enacted by Chapter 437, 2021 General Session
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