RTRI State Laws

Release time laws vary by state but generally fall into three categories: “may” states, “shall” states, and states with no specific law.

In “may” states, school districts may adopt a policy for Released Time for Religious Instruction (RTRI). The decision to release students is left to the school board or local authority. If a policy is adopted, all faiths must be accommodated equally. No program can be allowed while denying another.

In “shall” states, legislators remove local control from school administrators. Schools are mandated to release students for religious instruction. Some states require districts to adopt a policy, others do not, but all force schools to cooperate with RTRI providers or release students in one way or another.

States with no law operate like “may” states, following the precedent set in Zorach v. Clauson. District administrators still decide whether students may leave campus for religious instruction or not.

Laws vary widely in language, rules, allowances, and attendance tracking requirements. You can see your state’s category on the map below and click on it for links to relevant codes, statutes, bills and lobbying activity.

From 2024 to 2025, LifeWise Academy actively lobbied to change state laws across the country. They have succeeded in Oklahoma, Indiana, Ohio, Iowa, Montana, and Texas.

By August 2025, LifeWise claimed that 11 states had RTRI legislation pending. They do not just support these laws — they wrote the bills themselves to advance their agenda and corporate interests.

Learn more about LifeWise’s lobbying and political activity on our LifeWise Politics page.