Title: Beach v. Oklahoma Dept. of Pub. Safety
Citation: 2017 OK 40
Docket Number: 
State: Oklahoma
Issuer: Oklahoma Supreme Court
Date: May 16, 2017

Beach v. Oklahoma Dept. of Pub. Safety Annotate this Case Justia Opinion Summary The Oklahoma Supreme Court granted certiorari in this case to consider whether Appellant Kaye Beach sufficiently established that her "religiously motivated practice has been substantially burdened," because she was required to submit to a high-resolution facial photograph to renew her drivers license, despite her belief that doing so violated her religion. Appellant renewed her drivers license at least two to three times under the new system. Appellant stated she was first aware of changes to the system in 2004, when she was required to submit a fingerprint for a renewal. Appellant contended her sincerely held religious beliefs forbade her from participating in a global-numbering identification system, using the number of man, and eternally condemned her for participating in any such system. Appellant believed that the Department's system took measurements off facial points, from the biometric photo, to determine a number that is specific to her, for use with facial recognition technology. Appellant believed the resulting number was the "number of a man" referred to in Revelation 13:16-18 thus Appellant objects to the measurements of her body being used to identify her. Appellant states that the government intended to use the biometric photo to tie our bodies to our ability to buy and sell in order to permit or deny access to goods, services, places, and things needed to live. The Court of Civil Appeals held in her favor. The Oklahoma Supreme Court found that Appellant failed to produce any evidence from which one could reasonably conclude, or infer, that Department substantially burdened the free exercise of her articulated religious beliefs. Accordingly, the Court reversed the Court of Civil Appeals and reinstated the trial court’s judgment. Read more Want to stay in the know about new opinions from the Oklahoma Supreme Court? Sign up for free summaries delivered directly to your inbox. Learn More › You already receive new opinion summaries from Oklahoma Supreme Court. Did you know we offer summary newsletters for even more practice areas and jurisdictions? Explore them here . BEACH v. OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY 2017 OK 40 Case Number: 114126 Decided: 05/16/2017 THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA NOTICE: THIS OPINION HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED FOR PUBLICATION. UNTIL RELEASED, IT IS SUBJECT TO REVISION OR WITHDRAWAL. KAYE BEACH, Plaintiff/Appellant, v. OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, MICHAEL THOMPSON, in his official capacity as Commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, RICKY G. ADAMS, in his official capacity as Assistant Commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, Defendants/Appellees. ON CERTIORARI TO THE COURT OF CIVIL APPEALS, DIVISION IV ¶0 Appellant objected to the requirement to have a high-resolution facial photograph taken for renewal of her Oklahoma drivers license; claiming the high-resolution photograph, required by statute to be maintained by the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, violates her religious beliefs, pursuant to the Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act, 51 O.S.2011, §§ 251-258. The District Court of Cleveland County granted summary judgment in favor of Defendants/Appellees. The Court of Civil Appeals, Division IV, reversed the district court, and we granted Appellees' petition for certiorari. COURT OF CIVIL APPEALS' OPINION IS VACATED; JUDGMENT OF THE DISTRICT COURT IS AFFIRMED; REMANDED TO THE DISTRICT COURT FOR FURTHER PROCEEDINGS. Sherry Doyle, Edmond, Oklahoma, for Appellant, Mithun S. Mansinghani, Deputy Solicitor General, and Kevin L. McClure, Assistant Attorney General, Office of the Oklahoma Attorney General, Litigation Section, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for Appellees. OPINION WATT, J., ¶1 This Court granted certiorari in this case to consider whether Appellant, Kaye Beach, sufficiently established that her "religiously motivated practice has been substantially burdened," because she was required to submit to a high-resolution facial photograph to renew her drivers license, despite her belief that doing so violated her religion. The Court of Civil Appeals held in her favor. We reverse the Court of Civil Appeals and affirm the district court's ruling. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY ¶2 Since 2001, the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety (Department) has been required to maintain a system, for limited use, for storing drivers license photographs conforming with industry standards for interoperability.1 Industry standards require a digital high-resolution facial photograph (biometric photo) that is suitable for use with facial recognition software. Department has also been required since 2001, to implement a system to store digital versions of fingerprints for limited usage.2 ¶3 In September 2003, Department started using its current system, collecting both fingerprints and biometric photos, to issue and renew drivers licenses. The current system does not allow Department to process an application for a drivers license without a computerized digital facial image or fingerprint. Department does not share any of the information from fingerprints or photographs outside of the statutorily-authorized purposes.3 The only outside access to the database is by the company who provides maintenance support for the system, MorphoTrust USA,4 and IT professionals employed by the State of Oklahoma. ¶4 It is undisputed that Appellant has renewed her drivers license at least two to three times under the new system. Appellant states she was first aware of changes to the system in 2004, when she was required to submit a fingerprint for a renewal. Appellant first learned of the use of facial recognition software with the biometric photo in 2007 or 2008 and first formed her belief that it was offensive to her religiously "towards the end of 2009, 2010." ¶5 On March 8, 2011, Appellant attempted to apply to renew her drivers license at Fuson Tag Agency in Norman, Oklahoma. The tag agent informed Appellant that they were required by law5 to take a biometric photo of her and Appellant could not apply for or obtain a renewal without submitting to the biometric photo and a fingerprint scan. Appellant requested an accommodation based on her religious views and was denied.6 ¶6 On September 21, 2011, Appellant filed suit in Cleveland County District Court seeking an accommodation for her religious beliefs under the Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act (ORFA), 51 O.S.2011, §§ 251-258, and Article 2, Section 30 of the Oklahoma Constitution.7 On June 19, 2013, Appellant filed a motion for partial summary judgment on her ORFA claim. On April 1, 2014, Appellees filed a response to Appellant's motion for partial summary judgment and a counter-motion for summary judgment. ¶7 Appellant contends that her sincerely held religious beliefs forbid her from participating in a global-numbering identification system, using the number of man, and eternally condemn her for participating in any such system.8 Appellant believes that the biometric photo and fingerprint that Department requires for renewal of a license is the enrollment process for the identification system that is forbidden in the Bible.9 Appellant contends that Department's system takes measurements off facial points, from the biometric photo, to determine a number that is specific to her,10 for use with facial recognition technology; Appellant believes the resulting number is the "number of a man" referred to in Revelation 13:16-18 thus Appellant objects to the measurements of her body being used to identify her. Appellant states that the government intends to use the biometric photo to tie our bodies to our ability to buy and sell in order to permit or deny access to goods, services, places, and things needed to live everyday. ¶8 Appellant contends she is forbidden by her sincerely held religious beliefs from allowing a biometric photo, compliant with international standards for formatting, to be taken and placed into a database even potentially accessible by international entities or shared with other entities and jurisdictions. Appellant states that the crux of the issue is the global information sharing; noting that the industry standards used by Department are compliant with international standards and the database is maintained by a subsidiary of an international company, on behalf of Department. ¶9 Appellant detailed the substantial burden on her religious exercise by noting issues she has faced without having a valid drivers license. Appellant has been ticketed for driving without a license. Appellant is sometimes unable to complete debit card transactions, has been unable to book a hotel room, rent a private company's postal box, pick up her own prescriptions, and a variety of other inconveniences because of being unable to show a valid drivers license when asked for identification. Finally, Appellant notes that she is unlikely to find a job in the future due to requirements on employers to verify identification. ¶10 On June 17, 2015, the district court denied Appellant's motion for partial summary judgment and granted Appellees' motion for summary judgment. On July 20, 2015, Appellant appealed from summary judgment and the case was assigned to the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals, Division IV. On April 29, 2016, the Court of Civil Appeals reversed summary judgment finding that Appellant had met her initial burden and the burden was now on Appellees.11 On May 19, 2016, Appellees petitioned for certiorari, asking this Court to resolve what constitutes substantial burden under ORFA.12 This Court granted certiorari. STANDARD OF REVIEW ¶11 We review a summary judgment under a de novo standard as it presents a question of law. Pickens v. Tulsa Metro. Ministry, 1997 OK 152, ¶ 7, 951 P.2d 1079 , 1082. Summary judgment shall be affirmed if there is no dispute as to any material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. 12 O.S.2011, § 2056(C), Horton v. Hamilton, 2015 OK 6, ¶ 8, 345 P.3d 357, 360. The party moving for summary judgment must propose undisputed material facts and demonstrate, with reference to proper authority, why summary judgment should be granted. Howell v. Texaco, 2004 OK 92, ¶ 15, 112 P.3d 1154 . All inferences and conclusions drawn from the evidentiary materials must be viewed in the light most favorable to the party opposing the motion. Pickens, 1997 OK 152, ¶ 7, 951 P.2d at 1082. OKLAHOMA RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ACT ¶12 In 2000, the Oklahoma Legislature enacted the Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act (ORFA).13 ORFA mandates that no governmental entity shall substantially burden a person's free exercise of religion, even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability. 51 O.S.2011, § 253. ORFA defines exercise of religion as "the exercise of religion under Article 1, Section 2, of the Constitution of the State of Oklahoma,[14 ORFA], and the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States."15 51 O.S.2011, § 252(2). BURDEN OF PROOF ¶13 This Court has not previously interpreted who bears the burden of proof under ORFA16 and ORFA itself is silent as to the assignment of the burden of proof of the party seeking relief under the Act. However, Title 51, Section 252 provides guidance on the burden of proof by defining demonstrates17 and substantially burden.18 Both of these terms are used in Section 253: A. Except as provided in subsection B of this section, no governmental entity shall substantially burden a person's free exercise of religion even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability. B. No governmental entity shall substantially burden a person's free exercise of religion unless it demonstrates that application of the burden to the person is: 1. Essential to further a compelling governmental interest; and 2. The least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest. 51 O.S.2011, § 253 (Emphasis added). The italicized terms in Section 253 refer to actions by a governmental entity, rather than to the plaintiff who brings the action. ¶14 Section 253 presupposes that a plaintiff has alleged a substantial burden has been imposed upon him or her which ORFA was designed to prevent. Therefore, before it may be determined whether a governmental entity is liable for substantially burdening one's religious practice or has demonstrated that said burden is essential to furthering a compelling governmental interest, it is essential that the plaintiff show how his or her religious practice has been substantially burdened. Thus, the burden of proof begins with the plaintiff to make a prima facie showing of evidence of such substantial burden upon his or her religious freedom19 before the governmental entity must demonstrate the burden is essential to further a compelling government interest and is the least restrictive means to do so. This is consistent with legal principles regarding the burdens of the parties in similar cases before the United States Supreme Court.20 ¶15 Appellant presented no evidence demonstrating the existence of a genuine issue of material fact as to whether Department has ever inhibited or curtailed her religiously motivated practice as forbidden by ORFA, 51 O.S.2011, § 253. Appellant failed to produce any evidence from which one could reasonably conclude, or infer, that Department has substantially burdened the free exercise of her articulated religious beliefs. Further, there is no evidence to support Appellant's fear that Department is distributing her biometric data on an international scale, intentionally or accidentally, in violation of her religious beliefs. Because Appellant did not meet her burden to make a prima facie showing of evidence of substantial burden upon her religious freedom, the burden did not shift to Department to demonstrate the application is essential to further a compelling government interest and is the least restrictive means of doing so. ¶16 In addition, mootness exists when circumstances occur such that the court is unable to grant effective relief and any opinion in the controversy would possess characteristics of an advisory or hypothetical opinion. Chandler (U.S.A.), Inc. v. Tyree., 2004 OK 16, ¶ 12, 87 P.3d 598 , 601. The mootness doctrine applies to both original jurisdiction and appellate proceedings. Id. ¶ 11, 87 P.3d at 601. This Court is the final arbiter of whether the mootness doctrine applies. In re Guardianship of Doornbos, 2006 OK 94, ¶ 2, 151 P.3d 126 , 126 . ¶17 This Court will not decide moot issues or hypothetical questions, when no practical relief will result. Baby F. v. Okla. Cty. Dist. Court, 2015 OK 24, ¶ 11, 348 P.3d 1080, 1084, Doornbos, 2006 OK 94, ¶ 2, 151 P.3d at 126. Oklahoma recognizes an exception to the mootness doctrine when an appeal presents a question of substantial or broad public interest. Doornbos, 2006 OK 94, ¶ 4, 151 P.3d at 126. However, application of exceptions to the mootness doctrine depend on the facts presented and policy considerations. Id. This Court will only apply those exceptions when the practical considerations indicate that doing so would avoid confusion, not prolong it. Id. ¶ 4, 151 P.3d at 126-27. ¶18 It is undisputed that Appellant has submitted biometric photos and fingerprints to Department at least two to three times under Department's current system such that Appellant is already in Department's system. Even if Appellant adduced evidence to show that Department's biometric photo requirements are a substantial burden on Appellant's religious exercise of abstaining from participation in a global-numbering identification system, a court could still not grant Appellant effective relief because Appellant is already "enrolled" in the system with her biometric photo and fingerprints in Department's database. Because Department already has Appellant's biometric photo and fingerprints in its system, the matter presented is moot. There are no facts present here to allow application of an exception to this jurisdictional bar. As such, we need not address the other related issues brought before this Court. ¶19 The opinion of the Court of Civil Appeals is vacated, and the district court's grant of summary judgment is affirmed. This case is remanded to the district court for further proceedings consistent with the views expressed in this opinion. OPINION OF THE COURT OF CIVIL APPEALS IS VACATED; JUDGMENT OF THE DISTRICT COURT IS AFFIRMED; REMANDED TO THE DISTRICT COURT FOR FURTHER PROCEEDINGS. COMBS, C.J., WATT, WINCHESTER, EDMONDSON, COLBERT, JJ, THORNBRUGH, SJ. - CONCUR GURICH, V.C.J, and REIF, J. - CONCUR IN RESULT KAUGER, J.. - CONCUR IN PART; DISSENT IN PART Kauger, J., concurring in part; dissenting in part "In my opinion, this cause is moot." WYRICK, J. - RECUSED FOOT