[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 208 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 208

   To amend title 18, United States Code, to protect the sanctity of 
                       religious communications.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 7, 1997

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

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                                 A BILL


 
   To amend title 18, United States Code, to protect the sanctity of 
                       religious communications.

    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 ``Religious Communication Sanctity Act 
of 1997''.

SEC. 2. PROTECTION OF SANCTITY OF RELIGIOUS COMMUNICATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 13 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 249. Protection of sanctity of religious communications
    ``(a) Whoever, under color of governmental authority, 
surreptitiously listens to or records in any manner, any communication 
that is privileged, because of its religious character, under Federal 
law or under the non-Federal law of the place where such communication 
takes place, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more 
than 5 years, or both.
    ``(b) Any person aggrieved by a violation of this section 
consisting of the recording of a communication may, in a civil action, 
obtain the prompt destruction of that recording and any copies or 
transcripts made from that recording.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 13 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new item:

``249. Protection of sanctity of religious communications.''.
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