[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4129 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4129

 To enforce the constitutional right to the free exercise of religion.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 20, 1996

   Mr. Hoke introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To enforce the constitutional right to the free exercise of religion.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Freedom of Religious Expression Act 
of 1996''.

SEC. 2. FREE EXERCISE RIGHTS PROTECTED.

    Students in public schools--
            (1) have the same right to engage in individual or group 
        prayer and religious discussions in or connected with school as 
        they do to engage in other comparable activity;
            (2) may express their beliefs about religion in the form of 
        homework, artwork, and other written and oral assignments free 
        from discrimination based on the religious content of their 
        submissions;
            (3) have a right to distribute religious literature to 
        their schoolmates on the same terms as they are permitted to 
        distribute other literature that is unrelated to school 
        curriculum or activities; and
            (4) may display or otherwise communicate religious 
        messages, including on items of clothing, to the same extent 
        they are permitted to display or communicate other messages.

SEC. 3. CIVIL ACTION.

    A person aggrieved by a violation of section 2 may in a civil 
action obtain appropriate relief. Such an action may be instituted 
against a governmental entity as well as against any person engaging in 
the violation.

SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM HOTLINE.

    (a) In General.--The Attorney General shall establish, maintain, 
and publicize a toll-free number to provide timely and accurate 
information and respond to questions regarding the rights protected by 
this Act.
    (b) Offset.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, funds 
available under section 458 of the Higher Education Act, shall be 
reduced by $5,000,000 for fiscal year 1997.
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