Under intermediate scrutiny, the classification must be:

Under intermediate scrutiny, the classification must be:

• A. It must be narrowly tailored to an important government objective.
• B. It must be substantially related to an important government objective.
• C. It must be rationally related to a legitimate government objective.
• D. It must be necessary to achieve a compelling government objective.

Answer: (B)

Under intermediate scrutiny, the government’s objective must be important, and the classification used by the law must be substantially related to achieving that objective. This sits between rational basis (where the objective can be any legitimate government goal with a rational link) and strict scrutiny (which requires the law to be narrowly tailored to a compelling objective and the least restrictive means). The phrase “substantially related to an important government objective” captures the needed connection without demanding the most exacting fit or the strongest level of justification. So, the correct standard is that the classification is substantially related to an important government objective. The other formulations describe stricter or looser standards (narrowly tailored to a compelling objective or rationally related to a legitimate objective, or requiring “necessary” to achieve a compelling objective), which do not match intermediate scrutiny.

Under intermediate scrutiny, the government’s objective must be important, and the classification used by the law must be substantially related to achieving that objective. This sits between rational basis (where the objective can be any legitimate government goal with a rational link) and strict scrutiny (which requires the law to be narrowly tailored to a compelling objective and the least restrictive means). The phrase “substantially related to an important government objective” captures the needed connection without demanding the most exacting fit or the strongest level of justification.

So, the correct standard is that the classification is substantially related to an important government objective. The other formulations describe stricter or looser standards (narrowly tailored to a compelling objective or rationally related to a legitimate objective, or requiring “necessary” to achieve a compelling objective), which do not match intermediate scrutiny.