It's a Massive Day for People of Faith in Georgia!

Less than a month ago, I wrote a column wondering whether this would be the year Georgia finally passed a Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). In the final week of the legislative session, the General Assembly finally passed RFRA. On Wednesday night, the State House passed SB36 by a vote of 96-70. The bill will go to Gov. Brian Kemp (R-Ga.), and he will sign it into law.

PRAISE GOD!! Overjoyed to see Georgia’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act PASS!

Proud of my Gov, @GovKemp, of Speaker @JonBurnsGA, of LG @burtjonesforga, and all the Electeds, coalition partners, Georgians who have worked and fought and prayed for this bill for over a decade! https://t.co/AJnWvrMUIG pic.twitter.com/BGja3b20Ep

— Taylor Hawkins (@TaylorH_GA) April 3, 2025

We proudly passed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act that deepens protections for people of faith from government overreach — a win for First Amendment rights. https://t.co/kplvP8cwkm

— GA House Republicans (@GaHouseGOP) April 3, 2025

Kemp made RFRA one of the signature promises of his campaign for a second term, and it’s been a hard-fought battle to finally get it passed. Corporate interests and the LGBTQ lobby have tried to thwart a good RFRA bill at every turn, and Democrats and wobbly Republicans have tried to amend bills to water them down.

“In an epic win for Georgia, the State House has passed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act — effectively securing a victory in a battle that has spanned more than a decade,” wrote Cole Muzio, president of Frontline Policy Council in an email he sent from the House gallery on Wednesday night.”

Related: Will This Be the Year Georgia Protects Religious Freedom?

“The bill that passed was the unamended federal mirror RFRA that we have been championing,” Muzio added. “This top priority now restores First Amendment protections for all Georgians, and we are so grateful for this monumental win.”

Taylor Hawkins, the founding principal of government affairs firm Integrity Strategies and a Christian lobbyist and grassroots leader who has worked on RFRA for seven years, said in exclusive comments to PJ Media:

This is a monumental victory! A broad coalition of faith-filled Georgians, organizations, and elected officials have been working to pass this piece of legislation to restore basic protection from government intrusion to people of faith for over a decade, and it is now a reality! This could not have been possible without the tireless efforts of the sponsor, State Senator Ed Setzler, the determination and influence of Governor Brian Kemp following through on a key campaign promise to protect religious liberty, and the indispensable leadership and strength of Lieutenant-Governor Burt Jones and Speaker Jon Burns. All of these had the courage and wisdom to cut through the noise and take a strong stand to protect a basic fundamental right of ALL Georgians. People of faith across our state can — and I’m sure will — praise God for good conservative leadership who kept their word and made this day possible. (emphasis in the original)

It's been a tough battle to protect people of faith in the Peach State. In addition to the thwarted attempts to pass a bill during Kemp’s terms in office, his predecessor, former governor Nathan Deal, vetoed a religious liberty bill that the General Assembly passed in 2016 after big corporations and Hollywood spoke out against it. Unlike the wobbly Deal, Kemp has proven that the state can court big business while also protecting small businesses and upholding solid conservative principles.

It’s a day for people of faith in Georgia to be proud. Our state is finally protecting our right to worship and express our faith!

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