Ohio ranks in Top 5 states for protecting religious liberties, study finds

Faith and religious freedom, and the right to exercise them , remains a deeply-rooted way of life for many Americans. The First Amendment backs up that right.

But how significant are religious protections in Ohio?

When it comes to protecting religious freedoms, Ohio ranks highly as one of the top states, according to a study from the conservative legal group First Liberty Institute .

The organization's 2024 Religious Liberty in the States (RLS) Index developed a catalog of domestic religious freedom, which ranks religious liberty protections for each of the 50 states. The study examined legal religious "safeguards" found in state laws and constitutions, such as "protecting houses of worship from closing."

More than half of adults in Ohio identify as religious, according to data from the Pew Research Center . Ohio native and vice presidential candidate JD Vance has shared about his journey to Catholicism . Houses of worship across the state are numbered in the tens of thousands, and faiths such as Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and more are represented within the state, according to Rentech .

Here's how much the state protects religious liberty, per First Liberty Institute.

Ohio ranks in the Top 5 states for protecting religious liberty

Ohio tied with Mississippi for the No. 5 spot among all 50 states, according to the study. Illinois topped the list at No. 1, while West Virginia trailed behind the rest of the states.

Here's how the other top states stack up:

1. Illinois (80%)
2. Florida (73%)
3. Montana (65.8%)
4. Arkansas (65.6%)
5. Mississippi & Ohio (64.6%)

How does Ohio protect religious freedom?

Discourse surrounding Ohio's religious liberties has found its way into state legislation.

An Ohio House bill introduced in March 2024 would "require school districts to adopt a policy authorizing students to be excused from school to attend a released time course in religious instruction." The bill demonstrates how faith and politics are often intertwined .

With religious freedom come national debates on prayer in schools , separation of church and state, and faith-based lawsuits that make their way to the Supreme Court .

The methodology considers nearly 40 religious protections

According to First Liberty, the study delved deeper into its previous reports and added more religious elements for consideration, from 29 items in 2022 to 39 safeguards in 2024. Protections include absentee voting, marriage and weddings, and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

According to First Liberty, the study issues an "aggregate percentage score to each state. That percentage is determined by the number of religious liberty 'safeguards' found in state constitutions and laws."

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio ranks in Top 5 states for protecting religious liberties, study finds