April 19, 2025
ATLANTA — After years of advocacy from religious leaders and conservative lawmakers, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed Senate Bill 36, known as the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), into law at a ceremony on Friday, April 4, the final day of the 2025 legislative session. Kemp was surrounded by a group of legislators and supporters, including the bill’s author, Sen. Ed Setzler, R-Acworth, and W. Thomas Hammond, Jr., executive director of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board.
Kemp, who had promised to sign the bill, said, “I wanted to ensure once again that at the state level, Georgians are protected, including Georgians of faith.” He reiterated his commitment to religious liberty while also addressing concerns that the legislation could be misinterpreted, saying, “I wanted to let everybody know that despite signing that legislation, Georgia still remains a state that has no place for hate, and I can assure all Georgians of that today.”
Throughout the legislative process, Hammond was a vocal supporter of the bill, urging lawmakers to pass protections for people of faith. At the signing event, he emphasized the long-term significance of the law. “The signing of this law is not just for those of us who are here today, but for the generations that will come after us,” declared Hammond, representing the state’s Georgia Baptists at the event. “I consider it the greatest legislative victory in my lifetime. It enshrines and protects religious freedom for all people of faith regardless of their religion.”
Hammond praised Kemp, saying, “It is a mark of true leadership when our governor thinks long term about the impact that a particular legislation will have on our state, rather than focusing on and being obsessed with short term solutions to current problems.”
Lt. Governor Burt Jones took to the social media platform X.com to say, “Religious freedom is a fundamental human right and in Georgia, we believe in protecting everyone’s right to believe and practice their faith freely.”
Mike Griffin, the GBMB’s public affairs representative and an ardent supporter of the RFRA, exclaimed, “I am so thankful for Governor Brian Kemp and the support he gave to get the RFRA across the finish line in the Georgia House!
“The commitment that he made to pass the Religious Freedom Restoration Act goes back to 2018, along with his support for the Heartbeat Bill that was passed in 2019. I am so excited he has signed this bill into law, and I am thankful for the promises he made to Georgians that he has faithfully kept through his years of service.”
The passing of the RFRA legislation provides crucial protection for religious freedom. During debate in the House, Rep. Trey Kelley, R-Cedartown, said the legislation treats religious freedom the same as other rights enumerated in the Constitution, including the rights to free speech, a free press, and the rights to assembly and to petition the government. “What this measure simply looks to do is codify the same balancing tests for our exercise of religious freedom that the other four First Amendment rights have,” he said.
Baptist leaders from across the state celebrated the bill’s signing. Pastor Wayne Robertson at Morningside Baptist Church in Valdosta stated, “I am delighted about the passing of SB 36. This law will offer stronger protections to people of faith in Georgia. State and local governments will be given the latitude for the expression of religious beliefs, a freedom that was universally understood from our nation’s founding.”
Jeremy Morton, pastor at First Baptist Church Woodstock, declared, “I rejoice that RFRA is no longer a prayer request, but has now become a reality in Georgia. Thanks be to God! I pray that believers in our churches will take advantage of the freedom God has given us to boldly share the Gospel in every corner of Georgia.”
Opponents of the measure, including civil rights groups, argue that RFRA laws could be used as a shield for discrimination. However, supporters insist that SB 36 mirrors the federal RFRA law signed by President Bill Clinton in 1993, which has been in effect for decades without leading to widespread discrimination.
When he presented the bill on the House floor, Rep. Tyler Paul Smith, R-Bremen, noted that Senate Bill 36 is only meant to apply to actions by the government, not those of individual Georgians. “This is not a license for private citizens to discriminate against private citizens,” he said.
Greg Chaufuen, senior counsel of the Alliance Defending Freedom, explained, “The law, which is similar to laws in 29 other states, doesn’t determine who will win every disagreement, but it does ensure that every person—regardless of their religious creed or political power—receives a fair hearing when government action burdens a person’s freedom to live out his or her religious beliefs.”
Supporters of the new law believe it will serve as a lasting safeguard for religious liberty in Georgia, ensuring that individuals of faith can freely practice their beliefs for years to come.
