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42 U.S.C. § 2000cc

Title 42 Chapter 21 Current through PL 119-73 Last updated: March 29, 2026 View on OLRC →
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§ 2000cc. Protection of land use as religious exercise

  • (a)
    • (1) No government shall impose or implement a land use regulation in a manner that imposes a substantial burden on the religious exercise of a person, including a religious assembly or institution, unless the government demonstrates that imposition of the burden on that person, assembly, or institution—
      • (A) is in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest; and
      • (B) is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest.
    • (2) This subsection applies in any case in which—
      • (A) the substantial burden is imposed in a program or activity that receives Federal financial assistance, even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability;
      • (B) the substantial burden affects, or removal of that substantial burden would affect, commerce with foreign nations, among the several States, or with Indian tribes, even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability; or
      • (C) the substantial burden is imposed in the implementation of a land use regulation or system of land use regulations, under which a government makes, or has in place formal or informal procedures or practices that permit the government to make, individualized assessments of the proposed uses for the property involved.
  • (b)
    • (1) No government shall impose or implement a land use regulation in a manner that treats a religious assembly or institution on less than equal terms with a nonreligious assembly or institution.
    • (2) No government shall impose or implement a land use regulation that discriminates against any assembly or institution on the basis of religion or religious denomination.
    • (3) No government shall impose or implement a land use regulation that—
      • (A) totally excludes religious assemblies from a jurisdiction; or
      • (B) unreasonably limits religious assemblies, institutions, or structures within a jurisdiction.

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