Our Efforts in America

United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (U.S.C.I.R.F.)

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USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission created by the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) that monitors the universal right to freedom of religion or belief abroad.  USCIRF uses international standards to monitor religious freedom violations globally, and makes policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress.  USCIRF Commissioners are appointed by the President and Congressional leaders of both political parties.  Their work is supported by a professional, nonpartisan staff.  USCIRF is separate from the State Department, although the Department’s Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom is a non-voting ex officio Commissioner.

2018 Annual Report
The USCIRF reports on religious freedom conditions in selected countries and formulates policy recommendations for the U.S. Administration and Congress.

For more information, visit the USCIRF website at: www.uscirf.gov

The State Legislative Religious Freedom Initiative

To date, 58 such resolutions have been adopted by 46 states,
representing 93% of the United States population.

 
States highlighted in BLUE indicate that the resolution has been introduced.
States highlighted in GOLD indicate final adoption and no further action is necessary.
States highlighted in RED indicate no resolution has been introduced at this time.

 

The National Council of the Order of St. Andrew initiated in 2006 the Religious Freedom Resolutions project. The goal of this project, which represents one component of the overall, multi-faceted Religious Freedom Initiative, is the adoption of religious freedom resolutions in support of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in every state legislature. This project is an ongoing effort of the Order of Saint Andrew and represents an important part of the governmental and public affairs strategy of the Religious Freedom Initiative.

Stephen Georgeson serves as the national coordinator for the state resolutions project. He can be contacted at [email protected].

The Mother Church needs you! Learn what additional actions you can take to protect Religious Freedom for the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

 

U.S. State Resolution Status and Primary Sponsors

Alabama Adopted

by House and Senate on 5/2007

Sen. Jabo Waggoner

SJR 73 - Read the resolution [PDF]
Alaska

Introduced on 2/18/2010

Adopted

by Senate 4/5/2010

Adopted

by House 4/11/2010

Senator Kevin Meyer

SJR 28 - Read the Resolution [PDF]
Arizona

Introduced on 1/17/2008

Adopted

by House 3/18/2008

Adopted

by Senate 5/22/2008

Rep. Mark Anderson

HCM 2009 - Read the resolution [PDF]
Arkansas

Introduced on 1/22/2009

Adopted

by Senate on 2/18/09

Adopted

by House 3/12/2009

Senator David Johnson

SCR 3 - Read the resolution [PDF]
California

Introduced on 9/10/2007

Adopted

by Senate 2/28/2008

Sen. Elaine Kontominas Alquist

Adopted

by Assembly 8/30/2008

SJR 17 - Read the resolution [PDF]
Colorado Adopted

by House and Senate on 4/7/2011

Rep. Lois Court

Rep. John Kefalas

Senator Joyce Foster

Senator Nancy Spence

HJR 1014 - Read the resolution [PDF]
Connecticut Adopted on 4/30/2010

Rep. Demetrios Giannaros

Rep. Themis Klarides

Rep. John C. Geragosian

Read the resolution [PDF]
Delaware

HR 9 - Introduced on 3/10/2009

Adopted

on 3/19/2009

Rep. Nick Manolakos

 

Florida

Introduced on 3/2/2010

Adopted

on 4/23/2010

Rep. Peter Nehr

HM 191 - Read the resolution [PDF]

Introduced on 3/1/2010

Adopted

on 4/28/2010

Senator Mike Fasano

SM 314 - Read the resolution [PDF]
Georgia Adopted

by House 4/2007

Rep. Mike Cheokas

HR 415 - Read the resolution [PDF]

Introduced on 2/27/2008

Adopted

by Senate 3/6/2008

Sen. David Adelman

SR 1038 - Read the resolution [PDF]
Hawaii

SCR 57 and SR 31 - Introduced on 3/4/2011

Adoption Pending

Sen. Carol Fukunaga

Idaho Adopted

by the House 4/14/2015

Rep. Matthew Erpelding

Rep. Melissa Wintrow

HJM 12 - Read the resolution [PDF]
Illinois

Introduced on 8/10/2007

Adopted

on 10/4/2007

Rep. Sandra Pihos & Rep. Elizabeth Coulson

HR 666 - Read the resolution [PDF] Gubenatorial Resolution [PDF] Adopted

on 5/31/2013

Senator Antonio Munoz, Senator Bill Brady & Senator Darin LaHood

SR 70 - Introduced on 2/6/2013
Indiana

SR2

Adopted

by Senate 3/22/2017

Senator Blake Doriot

Senator John Crane

Iowa

HR 27 - Introduced on 3/12/2009

Adopted

on 3/23/2009

Rep. Wayne Ford

Rep. Pat Murphy

Kansas

Introduced on 1/6/2011

Adopted

by Senate 2/3/2011

Sen. Tim Owens

SR 1807 - Read the resolution [PDF]
Kentucky Adopted

on 3/26/2008

Rep. Mary Lou Marzian

HR 244 - Read the resolution [PDF]
Louisiana Adopted

by Senate 6/2007

Sen. Edwin Murray

SR 109 - Read the resolution [PDF]
Maine

Introduced on 3/25/2009

Adopted

by House 3/31/2009

Adopted

by Senate 4/2/2009

Rep. Linda Valentino

Senator Margaret Craven

Senator Barry Hobbins

HP 924 - Read the resolution [PDF]
Maryland

HJR 5 - Introduced on 3/14/2008

Adoption Pending

Delegate Theodore Sophocleus

Massachusetts Adopted

on 4/16/2008

Senator Gale Candaras

Read the resolution [PDF]
Michigan

Introduced on 3/19/2009

Adopted

by House 3/19/2009

Adopted

by Senate 3/25/2009

Senator John Pappageorge

Senator John Gleason

Senator Roger Kahn

SCR 6 - Read the resolution [PDF]
Minnesota

SR 178 - Introduced on 4/2/2008

Adopted by House and Senate on 8/13/18

Read the House resolution [PDF] Read the Senate resolution [PDF]

Sen. Yvonne Prettner Solon

Sen. Sandra Pappas

Mississippi

Introduced on 3/19/2008

Adopted

by House 3/31/2008

Adopted

by Senate 4/16/2008

Rep. Alyce Clarke

HCR 67 - Read the resolution [PDF]
Missouri

Introduced on 3/19/2008

Adopted

by House 5/7/2012

Rep. Kurt Bahr

HR 1365 - Read the resolution [PDF] Adopted

by Senate 5/17/2012

Senator Eric Schmitt

SR 1762 - Read the resolution [PDF]
Montana No resolution has been introduced at this time.
Nebraska

Introduced 1/6/2010

Adopted

on 4/13/2010

Sen. Gwen Howard

LR 273 - Read the resolution [PDF]
Nevada Adopted

by Assembly and Senate on 5/6/2009

Assemblyman James Ohrenschall

Sen. William Raggio

ACR 31 - Read the resolution [PDF]
New Hampshire No resolution has been introduced at this time.
New Jersey Adopted

by Senate and House 6/2006

Sen. Bob Smith

Sen. Joseph Kyrillos, Jr.

SJR 11 - Read the resolution [PDF]
New Mexico

Introduced on 2/2/2010

Adopted

by House 2/13/2010

Rep. Al Park

HM 39 - Read the resolution [PDF]
New York Adopted

by Senate and House 4/1/2011

Senator Dean Skelos

Senator Michael Gianaris

Assemblywomen Aravella Simotas and

Nicole Malliotakis

Read the Assembly resolution [PDF] Read the Senate resolution [PDF]
North Carolina Adopted

on 6/28/2010

Sen. Bob Rucho

Letter of Resolution [PDF]
North Dakota

Introduced on 1/26/2011

Adopted

on 3/24/2011

Senator Tim Mathern

Rep. Andy Maragos

SCR 4014 - Read the resolution [PDF]
Ohio Adopted

by Senate on 5/2014

Adopted

by House on 12/9/2014

HCR 29 - Read the resolution [PDF] SCR 21 - Read the resolution [PDF]
Oklahoma

Introduced on 2/19/2008

Adopted

on 3/24/2008

SR 54 - Read the resolution [PDF]
Oregon

Introduced on 5/4/2009

Adopted

by Senate on 5/6/2009

Adopted

by House on 6/1/2009

Sen. Rod Monroe, Sen. Bruce Starr, and Sen. Richard Devlin

SJR 16 - Read the resolution [PDF]
Pennsylvania Adopted

by House 11/2006

Rep. Timothy Solobay

HR 876 - Read the resolution [PDF]

Introduced on 10/24/2007

Adopted

by Senate 3/10/2008

Sen. Barry Stout

SR 188 - Read the resolution [PDF]
Rhode Island Adopted

by Senate 3/2007

Sen. Lou Raptakis

SR 895 - Read the resolution [PDF]
South Carolina

Introduced on 2/20/2008

Adopted

by House on 4/9/2008

Rep. Leonidas Stavrinakis

HR 4727 - Read the resolution [PDF] Adopted

by Senate 5/2007

Sen. Phil Leventis

SR 735 - Read the resolution [PDF]
South Dakota Adopted

by Senate on 2/21/2012

Senator Phyllis Heineman

Senator Stanford Adelstein

SCR 6 - Read the resolution [PDF]

of Senator Heineman speaking about the resolution (fast forward to 18:27)

Adopted

by House on 2/23/2012

Rep. Brian Gosch

Listen to an audio clip
Tennessee Adopted

by Senate 6/2007

Adopted

by House on 4/17/2008

Sen. Roy Herron

SJR 535 - Read the resolution [PDF]
Texas

Introduced on 5/1/2011

Adopted

on 5/5/2011

Rep. Dennis Bonnen

HCR 1670 - Read the resolution [PDF] Adopted

on 5/16/2011

Senator John Whitmire

SR 1006 - Read the resolution [PDF]
Utah

Introduced on 1/23/2009

Adopted

on 2/5/2009

Senator Patricia Jones

SR 1 - Read the resolution [PDF]

Introduced on 2/3/2009

Adopted

on 2/19/2009

Rep. Gregory Hughes

HR 2 - Read the resolution [PDF]
Vermont

Introduced on 2/9/2010

Adopted

on 5/12/2010

Senator Richard Sears

Senator Robert Hartwell

JRS 47 - Read the resolution [PDF]
Virginia Adopted

on 3/1/2012

Delegate Johnny Joannou

Delegate Manoli Loupassi

HR 35 - Read the resolution [PDF]
West Virginia

Introduced on 2/11/2008

Adopted

by House 3/3/2008

Adopted

by Senate 3/8/2008

Delegate Samuel Cann

Sen. Joseph Minard

HCR 37 - Read the resolution [PDF]
Wisconsin

Introduced on 3/4/2010

Adopted

on 4/22/2010

Sen. Ted Kanavas

SR 10 - Read the resolution [PDF]
Wyoming Adopted

on 6/20/2012

Read the Gubernatorial Resolution [PDF]