[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 206 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 206

To prohibit the application of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 
   1993, or any amendment made by such Act, to an individual who is 
incarcerated in a Federal, State, or local correctional, detention, or 
                penal facility, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 28, 1997

   Mr. Reid introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
               referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To prohibit the application of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 
   1993, or any amendment made by such Act, to an individual who is 
incarcerated in a Federal, State, or local correctional, detention, or 
                penal facility, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. APPLICATION TO INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS.

    The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 2000bb et 
seq.) is amended--
            (1) by moving section 5 to the end of the Act;
            (2) by redesignating section 5 as section 8; and
            (3) by inserting after section 4 the following new section:

``SEC. 5. APPLICATION TO INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS.

    ``Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, nothing in this 
Act or any amendment made by this Act shall be construed to affect, 
interpret, or in any way address that portion of the First Amendment 
regarding laws prohibiting the free exercise of religion, with respect 
to any individual who is incarcerated in a Federal, State, or local 
correctional, detention, or penal facility (including any correctional, 
detention, or penal facility that is operated by a private entity under 
a contract with a government).''.

SEC. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    (a) In General.--This amendments made by this Act shall take effect 
on the date of enactment of this Act.
    (b) Effect on Causes of Action Existing Before Date of Enactment.--
The amendment made by section 1(3) shall apply with respect to a cause 
of action arising under the Religous Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 
prior to the date of enactment of this Act, if a final decision has not 
been entered in the action prior to such date.
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