President Clinton has signed into law a measure to provide protection for religious freedom in two areas where discrimination has increased in recent years.

The president signed the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act at a Sept. 21 ceremony. The law, which both the Senate and House of Representatives approved without dissent in late July, was designed to protect the religious-freedom rights of churches and other religious bodies against discriminatory land-use regulations and of people in institutions such as prisons and mental hospitals.

Representatives of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission applauded RLUIPA's enactment but said the agency would work in the next session of Congress to pass more far-reaching legislation.

"Americans now have more freedom to exercise their religious faith than they did before the president signed this bill into law," said ERLC President Richard Land. "That should be a cause for celebration by every citizen."

Shannon Royce, the ERLC's legislative counsel who attended the oval office signing ceremony, said, "While we're disappointed we were unable to get a more comprehensive law enacted, we're pleased that we can cover 80 percent of the cases by addressing the two major areas covered by this legislation. We will make every effort in a new congressional session to advance the cause of religious liberty to the place where all Americans are fully protected in the expression of their faith."

The new law is narrower in focus than a measure that was promoted by the ERLC and others earlier in the session. That bill, the Religious Liberty Protection Act, passed the House but failed to receive Senate approval.

RLUIPA addresses the two categories where its advocates say ...