“To establish a prohibition on fees related to religious participation, and for other purposes.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section establishes a new criminal offense in 18 U.S.C. Chapter 13 (Civil Rights) prohibiting the knowing imposition, assessment, collection, or attempted collection of any fee, fine, surcharge, penalty, or other financial obligation based on a person's participation in or membership (or refusal thereof) in any religious theology, denomination, or organization, with penalties of a fine, imprisonment for not more than one year, or both, if the obligation does not exceed $1,000, and a fine, imprisonment for not more than three years, or both, otherwise. The section further prohibits denial of goods, services, access, or opportunities based on nonpayment of such an obligation, with penalties of a fine, imprisonment for not more than one year, or both, and specifies that it does not restrict religious organizations or educational institutions from requesting or receiving voluntary contributions from members for internal purposes.
This section expands the definition of racketeering activity under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) to include violations of section 251 of title 18, United States Code (prohibiting fees tied to religious participation). (Thus, such violations can serve as predicate offenses for RICO civil and criminal actions.)