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Conn.
Gen. State. § 52-571b
§
52-571b. Action or defense authorized when state or political
subdivision burdens a person's exercise of religion
(a) The
state or any political subdivision of the state shall not
burden a person's exercise of religion under section 3 of
article first of the constitution of the state even if the
burden results from a rule of general applicability, except
as provided in subsection (b) of this section.
(b) The
state or any political subdivision of the state may burden
a person's exercise of religion only if it demonstrates
that application of the burden to the person (1) is in furtherance
of a compelling governmental interest, and (2) is the least
restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental
interest.
(c) A
person whose exercise of religion has been burdened in violation
of the provisions of this section may assert that violation
as a claim or defense in a judicial proceeding and obtain
appropriate relief against the state or any political subdivision
of the state.
(d) Nothing
in this section shall be construed to authorize the state
or any political subdivision of the state to burden any
religious belief.
(e) Nothing
in this section shall be construed to affect, interpret
or in any way address that portion of article seventh of
the constitution of the state that prohibits any law giving
a preference to any religious society or denomination in
the state. The granting of government funding, benefits
or exemptions, to the extent permissible under the constitution
of the state, shall not constitute a violation of this section.
As used in this subsection, the term "granting" does not
include the denial of government funding, benefits or exemptions.
(f) For
the purposes of this section, "state or any political subdivision
of the state" includes any agency, board, commission, department,
officer or employee of the state or any political subdivision
of the state, and "demonstrates" means meets the burdens
of going forward with the evidence and of persuasion.
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