Earlier this month, the religious organization Union Gospel Mission of Yakima, Washington, won an important lawsuit in defense of religious freedom. The Mission filed the lawsuit in 2023 to challenge a state anti-discrimination policy that prohibited religious organizations from discriminating against non-ministerial staff based on religious beliefs or lifestyle choices. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit rightly ruled that the Washington law violated the religion clauses of the First Amendment.

This win for the Union Gospel Mission is great news for religious freedom across the nation. Churches and other religious organizations have the right to hire staff who align with their religious beliefs and mission, and state legislatures do not have the right to usurp this authority.