§ 15-3.1-5. Conscience and religious organizations protected.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, no religious or denominational organization, no organization operated for charitable or educational purpose which is supervised or controlled by or in connection with a religious organization, and no individual employed by any of the foregoing organizations, while acting in the scope of that employment, shall be required:
(1) To provide services, accommodations, advantages, facilities, goods, or privileges for a purpose related to the solemnization, certification, or celebration of any civil union; or
(2) To solemnize or certify any civil union; or
(3) To treat as valid any civil union;
if such providing, solemnizing, certifying, or treating as valid would cause such organizations or individuals to violate their sincerely held religious beliefs.
(b) No organization or individual as described in subsection (a) above who fails or refuses to provide, solemnize, certify, or treat as valid, as described in subdivision (a)(1), (a)(2) or (a)(3) above, persons in a civil union, shall be subject to a fine, penalty, or other cause of action for such failure or refusal.
History of Section.P.L. 2011, ch. 198, § 1.
Structure Rhode Island General Laws
Section 15-3.1-1. - Definitions.
Section 15-3.1-2. - Eligibility.
Section 15-3.1-5. - Conscience and religious organizations protected.
Section 15-3.1-6. - Benefits, protections, and responsibilities.
Section 15-3.1-7. - References and inclusions.
Section 15-3.1-8. - Reciprocity.
Section 15-3.1-9. - Dissolution of civil unions.
Section 15-3.1-10. - Requirement of department of health — Civil unions.
Section 15-3.1-11. - Severability.
Section 15-3.1-12. - Merger of civil union into marriage by action of the parties.