American Government / Unit 3 Gov 147 short lesson, about 20 seconds
The Religious Freedom Restoration Act
Captions available
The idea
Congress passed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in 1993 to restore the compelling-interest standard by statute after Smith.
In practice
A statute cannot change the Constitution's meaning, but it can require the government to meet a higher bar.
Where people slip
Protection can come from a statute rather than a clause, and a statute can be repealed.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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