AP reports that a petition has been filed with all the signatures needed to put a religious freedom constitutional amendment to North Dakota voters next year. Numerous states in recent years have enacted these Religious Freedom Restoration Act laws to ensure the state may not burden religious exercise without meeting a very high standard.
Secretary of State Al Jaeger says Wednesday that the initiative's supporters got enough signatures to put the issue to a vote. It will be Measure 3 on the June [2012] primary election ballot.
The proposed amendment says lawmakers may restrict religious behavior only if they have a compelling interest in doing so, and if the regulation is done in the least restrictive way possible.
