OLC Orders End to Faith‑Conduct Bans

On August 25 the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel issued an opinion directing federal agencies to stop enforcing rules that bar faith‑based organizations from engaging in religious worship, instruction, or proselytizing as a condition of receiving federal program funds. The guidance is written to apply across generally available federal funding programs (not just HHS programs) and takes effect administratively without awaiting a court or congressional change. — If implemented across agencies, the OLC opinion could open many federal programs (child care, special education, shelters, substance‑abuse treatment) to religiously‑active providers and trigger legislative, regulatory, and litigation fights over the line between church, state, and public funding.