Opinion ID: 746506
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Applicable Standard: RFRA and Boerne v. Flores

Text: 9 On June 25, 1997, the United States Supreme Court held unconstitutional the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA), 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000bb to 2000bb-4 (1993), as an act in excess of Congress' authority under section 5 of the Fourteenth Amendment. City of Boerne v. P.F. Flores, --- U.S. ----, 117 S.Ct. 2157, 138 L.Ed.2d 624 (1997). RFRA had reestablished the compelling state interest test as the standard applicable to free exercise of religion claims. 42 U.S.C. § 2000bb(b) (1993). Specifically, RFRA required that laws substantially burdening an individual's exercise of religion must be in furtherance of a compelling government interest and must be the least restrictive means of furthering that interest. 42 U.S.C. § 2000bb-1. RFRA was enacted in direct response to the Supreme Court's decision in Employment Division Department of Human Resources v. Smith, 494 U.S. 872, 110 S.Ct. 1595, 108 L.Ed.2d 876 (1990), which held that neutral, generally applicable laws may be applied to religious practices even when not supported by a compelling governmental interest. Boerne, --- U.S. at ----, 117 S.Ct. at 2161 (citing Smith, 494 U.S. at 885, 110 S.Ct. at 1604). RFRA not only superseded Smith, but it also replaced the standard used in prisoners' free exercise challenges. See Turner v. Safley, 482 U.S. 78, 89, 107 S.Ct. 2254, 2261, 96 L.Ed.2d 64 (1987) (prison regulation need only be reasonably related to legitimate penological interests.); O'Lone v. Shabazz, 482 U.S. 342, 349, 107 S.Ct. 2400, 2404-05, 96 L.Ed.2d 282 (1987) (prison regulations judged under less restrictive reasonableness standard). But the decision in Boerne restored the reasonableness test as the applicable standard in free exercise challenges. 10 In order to establish a free exercise violation, Freeman must show the defendants burdened the practice of his religion, by preventing him from engaging in conduct mandated by his faith, 3 without any justification reasonably related to legitimate penological interests. See Turner, 482 U.S. at 89, 107 S.Ct. at 2261-62. In determining whether the challenged conduct was reasonable, the court should consider several factors such as whether the regulation has a logical connection with a legitimate government interest, whether alternative means exist to exercise the asserted right, and the impact that accommodation of the prisoner's right would have on prison resources. O'Lone, 482 U.S. at 350-52, 107 S.Ct. at 2405-06 (citing Turner, 482 U.S. at 84-89, 107 S.Ct. at 2259-62).