Utah Code 63G-20-201. Provisions governing solemnizing or recognizing a marriage — Prohibition against employment actions

63G-20-201. Provisions governing solemnizing or recognizing a marriage — Prohibition against employment actions.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a state or local government or a state or local government official may not:

(1)	require a religious official, when acting as such, or religious organization to solemnize or recognize for ecclesiastical purposes a marriage that is contrary to that religious official’s or religious organization’s religious beliefs;

Terms Used In Utah Code 63G-20-201

Religious official: includes an individual designated by the religion as clergy, minister, priest, pastor, rabbi, imam, bishop, stake president, or sealer, when that individual is acting as such. See Utah Code 63G-20-102
Religious organization: means :

(a)	a religious organization, association, educational institution, or society;

(b)	a religious corporation sole; or

(c)

any corporation or association constituting a wholly owned subsidiary, affiliate, or agency of any religious organization, association, educational institution, society, or religious corporation sole. See Utah Code 63G-20-102

State or local government: means :

(a)	a state government entity, agency, or instrumentality; or

(b)

a local government entity, agency, or instrumentality. See Utah Code 63G-20-102

State or local government official: means an officer, employee, or appointee of a state or local government. See Utah Code 63G-20-102

(2)

if the religious official or religious organization is authorized to solemnize a marriage by Section 30-1-6, deny a religious official, when acting as such, or religious organization the authority to legally solemnize a legal marriage based on the religious official’s or religious organization’s refusal to solemnize any legal marriage that is contrary to the religious official’s or religious organization’s religious beliefs;

(3)

require a religious official, when acting as such, or religious organization to provide goods, accommodations, advantages, privileges, services, facilities, or grounds for activities connected with the solemnization or celebration of a marriage that is contrary to that religious official’s or religious organization’s religious beliefs; or

(4)	require a religious official, when acting as such, or religious organization to promote marriage through religious programs, counseling, courses, or retreats in a way that is contrary to that religious official’s or religious organization’s religious beliefs.

Enacted by Chapter 46, 2015 General Session

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