News Archive

Professor Robert Katz has been interviewed widely for media coverage of Indiana’s recently passed Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA).  He appeared on NBC News on March 29 and was quoted in the Wall Street Journal on March 30 and the New York Times on March 31.

In the New York Times, Katz was quoted as saying “Indiana already had strong constitutional protections for religious belief” and that “the new law seemed to result more from fear of same-sex marriage than from any demonstrated need.”

Katz’s comments have also appeared on MTV, as well as BBC Brasil, the Indianapolis Star, Nuvo, and various news organizations across Indiana.

Before the law was passed, on March 16, Katz testified before the Indiana House Judiciary Committee (link to testimony) regarding RFRA.  In addition to pointing out that the bill was unnecessary due to pre-existing constitutional protection for freedom of religion, Professor Katz warned that it could threaten civil equality unless it expressly exempts anti-discrimination laws from its scope. He urged the committee to include such an exemption and also to amend the bill to declare that protecting Hoosiers from discrimination is a compelling governmental interest. 

Professor Katz teaches courses on nonprofit law, the First Amendment, law and religion, and the law of healthcare organizations.