Opinion ID: 1441390
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: State RFRA Claim

Text: Olsen contends that the court's dismissal of his RFRA claim against the state officials was improper since RFRA should apply to the same governments as RLUIPA (which does apply to state governments). Olsen also maintains that the Iowa CSA functions as an appendage of federal drug law since it adopts federal designations of controlled substances and Iowa's drug law enforcement receives funding from the federal government. Application of RFRA to the states is unconstitutional. City of Boerne v. Flores, 521 U.S. 507, 511, 117 S.Ct. 2157, 138 L.Ed.2d 624 (1997); In re Young, 141 F.3d 854, 856 (8th Cir.1998). The RFRA definition of government has been amended to no longer include state governments. Pub.L. No. 106-274, § 7(a)(1), 114 Stat. 806 (2000) (codified at 42 U.S.C. § 2000bb-2). The Iowa CSA is state law, not subject to RFRA.