Napa report: 75% of states flunk religious freedom index

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 27, 2025 / 12:00 pm (CNA).

About three-fourths of states scored less than 50% on Napa Legal Institute’s religious freedom index, which measures how well states safeguard religious liberty for faith-based organizations.

The “2025 Religious Freedom Percentage” was part of Napa’s Faith & Freedom Index published Oct. 27. Napa Legal Institute is an organization that assists faith-based nonprofits with legal compliance. 

Alabama scored highest, and Michigan scored lowest.

The report measures a state’s religious liberty in several ways, such as whether faith-based organizations have access to the same public programs and funds as nonreligious groups, whether the state has adopted stronger protections than guaranteed by the First Amendment, and whether employers can operate their organizations consistent with their religious beliefs.

It also considers whether the states protect the free exercise of religion under normal conditions and under a state of emergency such as when states restricted access to religious services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Most states had subpar scores, with about three-fourths failing to reach the 50% mark. Six states scored below the 30% mark, and another 19 states and Washington, D.C., were below 40%. An additional 13 states had scores below 50%. 

Seven states scored between 50% and 60% and another three states scored between 60% and 70%. Only two states scored higher than 70%: Kansas at 79% and Alabama at 86%.

“Faith-based organizations must be free to manage their internal affairs in accordance with their sincerely held religious beliefs and in ways that further their religious mission,” the report stated.

‘Worst’ states for religious liberty

The worst state for religious freedom was Michigan, which scored 22%, according to Napa. The Great Lakes state was closely followed by Delaware at 25%, Washington at 26%, Maryland at 27%, and Nevada and Hawaii at 29%.

Napa’s report called Michigan “one of the worst places to operate faith-based nonprofits in the United States.” The report cited reasons such as not exempting religious employers from nondiscrimination laws that might implicate their faith and unequal access to public programs and benefits.

In Delaware, religious employers have some protection from nondiscrimination laws implicating faith issues, but not in all situations. The state also does not adequately ensure equal access to public programs and funds, the report said.

For Washington, the report expressed concern about limited freedom for religious employers and unequal access to public programs and funds. In Maryland, the report notes a burdensome audit requirement to keep a charitable tax status and a lack of nondiscrimination exemptions.

“Laws have been enacted that impose restrictions on the religious freedom of nonprofits that serve the public,” the report notes, in reference to low-scoring states. “Such laws threaten to exclude faith-based institutions from the marketplace of charitable services and limit the access of vulnerable populations to needed services.”

Alabama ranks first

Alabama received, by far, the best score at 86%, and the report considers it “one of the best places to operate a faith-based nonprofit in the United States.”

The report said Alabama adopted a constitutional amendment to build on the religious liberty protections of the First Amendment. The state provides exemptions to nondiscrimination laws when faith is implicated and allows equal access to public programs. Still, the report noted a key concern: the Blaine Amendment, which restricts access to public funds.

In Kansas, which scored 79%; Mississippi, which scored 67%; and Georgia, which scored 67%, the states provide exemptions for nondiscrimination laws when faith is implicated and ensure access to public programs. However, they all lack proper access to public funds and have mixed scores on free exercise protections, the report said.

Other states ranking highly in Napa’s report included Florida at 63%, and New Hampshire and Indiana at 59%.

“Even in states with cultures friendly to religious organizations, it is worthwhile to identify areas where there is room to improve the states’ friendliness to faith-based organizations by passing more favorable laws,” the report notes.