Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights announced the release of its new Denial of Care rule, Safeguarding the Rights of Conscience as Protected by Federal Statutes.  President of American Atheists, Nick Fish, said, “The Department of Health and Human Services has taken a step in the right direction this week. The religious refusal rule the Biden Administration inherited had nothing to do with religious freedom and everything to do with enshrining religious extremism into law and prioritizing the narrow beliefs of a few over ..read more

Washington, D.C. — American Atheists released the sixth edition of its State of the Secular States report today. The organization’s annual policy publication is an in-depth analysis of state-level legislative attacks against religious equality and the separation of religion and government. Many of the political forecasts outlined in State of the Secular States have proven accurate over the years, and it has become a powerful tool for lawmakers, the media, and advocates to understand the nationwide trajectory toward religious extremism. “Last year was one of the worst legislative sessions in re ..read more

Albany, NY – American Atheists rebuked New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s decision to again veto a life-saving bill that has twice passed in the New York Assembly and Senate with bipartisan support. The Recovery Options Bill (A.5074) would have required that New Yorkers ordered to enter a substance abuse treatment program be informed of their right to not be forced into religious programming against their will. For example, many atheists choose nonreligious, evidence-based recovery options, such as SMART Recovery or LifeRing. Time and again, courts across the nation have found that 12-step progr ..read more

Charleston, WV — American Atheists announced today a resounding victory in its federal lawsuit, in partnership with Mountain State Justice, against the leadership of the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation (WVDCR) in April 2023 on behalf of Andrew Miller, an atheist and Secular Humanist who was forced to engage in religious activities as a condition of parole. “We’ve said it before, but no one should be forced to sacrifice their moral or religious beliefs in order to be released from incarceration,” said Lesley Nash, an attorney with Mountain State Justice, who served as l ..read more

Fort Worth, Texas—The North Texas atheist group Metroplex Atheists has launched a billboard campaign to promote their educational event, “Keep God Out of Our Public Schools.” On Sunday, District Judge Reed O’Connor denied them a preliminary injunction to post banners on downtown poles. Nonetheless, this billboard campaign, which will run until August 24, will help promote the August 26 event. In addition, the lawsuit will continue as planned. Metroplex Atheists is represented by American Atheists and local counsel Glast, Phillips & Murray with substantial assistance from the American Human ..read more

Charleston, WV — In a sweeping 60-page decision issued yesterday, a federal judge ruled in favor of Andrew Miller, an atheist and Secular Humanist, who has been forced to participate in religious substance abuse treatment activities as a condition for his parole. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph R. Goodwin issued a preliminary injunction requiring officials with the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation (WVDCR) to remove completion of the state’s Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) Program from Mr. Miller’s parole eligibility requirements. “This is a complete vindic ..read more

Fort Worth, TX—Today, the North Texas atheist group Metroplex Atheists filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Fort Worth. The group is represented by American Atheists, the American Humanist Association, and local counsel Glast, Phillips & Murray. The complaint accuses the City of discriminating against atheists and violating their freedom of speech. Since at least 1998, Fort Worth has permitted nonprofit organizations to rent out space on downtown lamp posts to advertise events. These nonprofits include Kenneth Copeland Ministries and Texas Christian University. By its policy, the Ci ..read more

Washington, D.C.—The nonreligious civil rights watchdog organization American Atheists is urging the Supreme Court to protect the free speech rights of atheists—and all Americans—to challenge Christian nationalist lawmakers and other government officials on social media. “Atheists are the most politically active group in America, and we have just as much of a right to challenge Christian nationalist lawmakers online as we do in person,” said Geoffrey T. Blackwell, Litigation Counsel for American Atheists, who wrote the amicus brief. “Yet time and time again, government officials deny us our fr ..read more

Washington, DC—Today, the religious equality organization American Atheists condemned the Supreme Court’s 6–3 ruling in 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, allowing a designer to discriminate against same-sex couples in the creation and sale of wedding websites. “This disastrous decision puts business owners’ religious beliefs above the basic human dignity of LGBTQ people and other vulnerable groups,” said Geoffrey T. Blackwell, Litigation Counsel for American Atheists. “Fifty years ago, the Court rejected the argument that the free speech rights of bigots trump nondiscrimination laws,” added Blackwel ..read more

Washington, D.C.—Today, the religious equality organization American Atheists criticized the Supreme Court’s decision in Groff v. DeJoy for siding with a religious litigant while ignoring how religious “accommodations” will impact others in the workplace, particularly the nonreligious. “While today’s decision doesn’t give religious employees carte blanche in the workplace, it certainly continues this Court’s recent practice of expanding loopholes, accommodations, and ‘rights’ for the religious while shifting more burdens onto atheists, humanists, and the nonreligious,” said Geoffrey T. Blackwe ..read more