{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-51-51-253","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 51, § 51-253","heading":"Burden upon free exercise of religion","body":"A. Except as provided in subsection B of this section, no\n\ngovernmental entity shall substantially burden a person’s free\n\nexercise of religion even if the burden results from a rule of\n\ngeneral applicability.\n\nB. No governmental entity shall substantially burden a person’s\n\nfree exercise of religion unless it demonstrates that application of\n\nthe burden to the person is:\n\n1. Essential to further a compelling governmental interest; and\n\n2. The least restrictive means of furthering that compelling\n\ngovernmental interest.\n\nC. Any order or rule issued by any governmental entity pursuant\n\nto an emergency that requires closure of any place of worship\n\nentitled to the religious exemption found in Section 501(c)(3) of\n\nTitle 26 of the United States Code shall be considered a substantial\n\nburden even if the order or rule is one of general applicability.\n\nD. No governmental entity as defined pursuant to Section 252 of\n\nthis title shall declare or deem a religious institution and any\n\nactivity directly related to the institution’s discharge of its\n\nmission and purpose to be nonessential. No religious institution\n\nshall be subject to a closure or restriction for the purposes of\n\nhealth or security that is greater than that imposed upon any\n\nprivate entity facing the same or similar health or security\n\nconditions.\n\nE. It shall be deemed a substantial burden to exclude any\n\nperson or entity from participation in or receipt of governmental\n\nfunds, benefits, programs, or exemptions based solely on the\n\nreligious character or affiliation of the person or entity.","path":["OK Code","Title 51"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os51.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"821cd4ed2e378f77d17e08ece4b11d494434539728d5b339cc8df99dab017da5","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-51-51-252","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-51-51-254"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}