This Law Firm Publication by Jackson Lewis, P.C. addresses Utah Governor Gary Herbert's March 12, 2015 signing of Senate Bill 296, which protects LGBT people from employment and housing discrimination and retaliation, while also protecting religious expression. The law makes it illegal to base employment decisions on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, but does not prevent employers from adopting reasonable standards for grooming and dress or designating sex-specific facilities. Under the law, there are certain exemptions for religious organizations and universities, and protections are provided for individual religious belief and expression. Utah is the first state to enact legislation seeking to balance LGBT rights and religious expression and the bill received support from both major political parties as well as LGBT leaders and religious leaders.