SB 109-11: Prison Uniform Reform Act (Passed)

[Joseph Cao]

PRISON UNIFORM REFORM ACT

Senate Bill
to protect the religious rights of prisoners

TITLE I: ACCOMODATION POLICY AND ENACTMENT

A. Any person imprisoned in a federal Atlasian prison has the right to freedom of conscience and to freely exercise their religion. Accordingly, the following accommodations shall be offered to such imprisoned person, provided such accommodation is based on a sincerely-held religious belief and does not demonstrably jeopardize the health or safety of prisoners or prison staff or facilitate actual crime. The actual abuse of an accommodation identified in this act may result in the suspension of such accommodation for the individual abuser. Such suspension, denial based on particularized health or safety necessities, or reasonable heightened security screenings to ensure that an accommodation under this act is not being abused shall not be deemed a violation of a prisoner’s religious freedom.

B. Unless otherwise indicated herein, this act shall take effect August 1, 2022.

TITLE II: HAIR AND HEAD COVERINGS

A. Hair may be grown out, including by Sikhs following the 5 Kakaars of Guru Gobind Singh and by those who have taken a Nazirite vow, in accordance with the Holy Bible.

B. Beards may be grown by prisoners, including by Muslims, and by Sikhs following the 5 Kakaars of Guru Gobind Singh and by those who have taken a Nazirite vow, in accordance the Holy Bible.

C. Reasonable head coverings may be worn by prisoners. Allowable head coverings can include hijabs and taqiyahs by Muslims, turbans by Sikhs following the 5 Kakaars of Guru Gobind Singh, prayer veils by Christians, and skullcaps, yarmulkes, and kippahs by Jews.

TITLE III: CLOTHING

A.  No clothing or uniform provided to persons imprisoned in federal prisons shall contain mixed textiles (shatnez) of both wool and linen.

B. Specially-hemmed pants that blouse or bind the pant cuffs above the ankle may be worn by prisoners, including by Muslims.

C. By January 1, 2023 each federal prison shall evaluate the potential risks of female prisoners wearing uniform dresses rather than uniform pants. If such evaluation determines that uniform dresses would not materially impact the health and safety of prisoners and prison employees, then any female prisoner, regardless of religious belief, may wear a uniform dress rather than uniform pants. Such dresses shall be paid for by the female prisoner making the request.

Sponsor: Mr. Reactionary
Status: Final Vote

The gentleman from Virginia is recognized.

[Mr. Reactionary]

This bill is designed to clearly lay out religious accomodation policies for federal prisoners relating to grooming and uniforms. While religious accomodations are generally required for prisoners when practical under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) not much in the way of specifics are spelled out in the law which often requires lawsuits by prisoners seeking to claim accomodations. This bill provides specifics to hopefully enhance prisoner religious rights without need to sue. This includes accomodations for beard length (which has been required in State prisons per the Supreme Court case Holt v. Hobbes), hair length, head coverings, certain uniform materials, pants length, and the possibility for women prisoners to wear uniform dresses if desired. All of these accomdations, while presumed, are still subject to individualized safety evaluations, which means if a prisoner abuses an accomodation such accomodation may be revoked.

[WD]

Looks good. This has my support.

[Joseph Cao]

Out of interest, is there a reason for prisoners bearing the cost of dresses in particular when there are presumably other uniform adjustments that could be made on request which also fall under the religious exemptions umbrella?

[Mr. Reactionary]

Out of interest, is there a reason for prisoners bearing the cost of dresses in particular when there are presumably other uniform adjustments that could be made on request which also fall under the religious exemptions umbrella?

Technically as written the dress policy goes beyond religious accomodations. Since this would be more of an individuality argument than a religious argument I was trying to shield the government from those costs since its purely a prisoner preference.

[Joseph Cao]

Out of interest, is there a reason for prisoners bearing the cost of dresses in particular when there are presumably other uniform adjustments that could be made on request which also fall under the religious exemptions umbrella?

Technically as written the dress policy goes beyond religious accomodations. Since this would be more of an individuality argument than a religious argument I was trying to shield the government from those costs since its purely a prisoner preference.

So if an individual prisoner made a religious argument for wearing a dress they would be exempted from that on a case by case basis?

[Mr. Reactionary]

Out of interest, is there a reason for prisoners bearing the cost of dresses in particular when there are presumably other uniform adjustments that could be made on request which also fall under the religious exemptions umbrella?

Technically as written the dress policy goes beyond religious accomodations. Since this would be more of an individuality argument than a religious argument I was trying to shield the government from those costs since its purely a prisoner preference.

So if an individual prisoner made a religious argument for wearing a dress they would be exempted from that on a case by case basis?

Yes

[Joseph Cao]

Alright, I think that's my main concern assuaged such as it is and it seems other Senators feel the same way. Motion for a final vote.

[Joseph Cao]

(24 hours to object.)

[Joseph Cao]

Right then, with no objections a final vote is open on the following:

PRISON UNIFORM REFORM ACT

Senate Bill
to protect the religious rights of prisoners

TITLE I: ACCOMODATION POLICY AND ENACTMENT

A. Any person imprisoned in a federal Atlasian prison has the right to freedom of conscience and to freely exercise their religion. Accordingly, the following accommodations shall be offered to such imprisoned person, provided such accommodation is based on a sincerely-held religious belief and does not demonstrably jeopardize the health or safety of prisoners or prison staff or facilitate actual crime. The actual abuse of an accommodation identified in this act may result in the suspension of such accommodation for the individual abuser. Such suspension, denial based on particularized health or safety necessities, or reasonable heightened security screenings to ensure that an accommodation under this act is not being abused shall not be deemed a violation of a prisoner’s religious freedom.

B. Unless otherwise indicated herein, this act shall take effect August 1, 2022.

TITLE II: HAIR AND HEAD COVERINGS

A. Hair may be grown out, including by Sikhs following the 5 Kakaars of Guru Gobind Singh and by those who have taken a Nazirite vow, in accordance with the Holy Bible.

B. Beards may be grown by prisoners, including by Muslims, and by Sikhs following the 5 Kakaars of Guru Gobind Singh and by those who have taken a Nazirite vow, in accordance the Holy Bible.

C. Reasonable head coverings may be worn by prisoners. Allowable head coverings can include hijabs and taqiyahs by Muslims, turbans by Sikhs following the 5 Kakaars of Guru Gobind Singh, prayer veils by Christians, and skullcaps, yarmulkes, and kippahs by Jews.

TITLE III: CLOTHING

A.  No clothing or uniform provided to persons imprisoned in federal prisons shall contain mixed textiles (shatnez) of both wool and linen.

B. Specially-hemmed pants that blouse or bind the pant cuffs above the ankle may be worn by prisoners, including by Muslims.

C. By January 1, 2023 each federal prison shall evaluate the potential risks of female prisoners wearing uniform dresses rather than uniform pants. If such evaluation determines that uniform dresses would not materially impact the health and safety of prisoners and prison employees, then any female prisoner, regardless of religious belief, may wear a uniform dress rather than uniform pants. Such dresses shall be paid for by the female prisoner making the request.

Senators have 96 hours to vote. Please vote Aye, Nay, or Abstain.

[WD]

Aye

[Dr. MB]

Aye

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Aye

[FT-02 Senator A.F.E. 🇵🇸🤝🇺🇸🤝🇺🇦]

Aye

[AGA]

Abstain

[Saint Milei]

Aye

[Mr. Reactionary]

Aye

[West_Midlander]

Aye

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

Aye

[MR DARK BRANDON]

Aye

[Joseph Cao]

Aye.

[Kuumo]

Aye

[Joseph Cao]

Closing the vote.

Lincoln: Vacant
Northeast: AGA – Abstain
Great Lakes: Cao – Aye

Frémont: Kuumo – Aye
Mountain West: AFE – Aye
Pacific: Western Democrat – Aye

South: Mr. R – Aye
Upper South: Yankee – Aye
Deep South: Muad'dib – Not voting

STV1: MB – Aye
STV2: Weatherboy – Aye
STV3: Deadprez – Aye
STV4: West_Midlander – Aye
STV5: Sestak – Not voting
STV6: OSR – Not voting
STV7: Blairite – Aye
STV8: Adam – Not voting
STV9: Liam – Aye

By a vote of 12-0-1-4, the bill is passed and is sent to the President.

[Joseph Cao]

PRISON UNIFORM REFORM ACT

Senate Bill
to protect the religious rights of prisoners

TITLE I: ACCOMODATION POLICY AND ENACTMENT

A. Any person imprisoned in a federal Atlasian prison has the right to freedom of conscience and to freely exercise their religion. Accordingly, the following accommodations shall be offered to such imprisoned person, provided such accommodation is based on a sincerely-held religious belief and does not demonstrably jeopardize the health or safety of prisoners or prison staff or facilitate actual crime. The actual abuse of an accommodation identified in this act may result in the suspension of such accommodation for the individual abuser. Such suspension, denial based on particularized health or safety necessities, or reasonable heightened security screenings to ensure that an accommodation under this act is not being abused shall not be deemed a violation of a prisoner’s religious freedom.

B. Unless otherwise indicated herein, this act shall take effect August 1, 2022.

TITLE II: HAIR AND HEAD COVERINGS

A. Hair may be grown out, including by Sikhs following the 5 Kakaars of Guru Gobind Singh and by those who have taken a Nazirite vow, in accordance with the Holy Bible.

B. Beards may be grown by prisoners, including by Muslims, and by Sikhs following the 5 Kakaars of Guru Gobind Singh and by those who have taken a Nazirite vow, in accordance the Holy Bible.

C. Reasonable head coverings may be worn by prisoners. Allowable head coverings can include hijabs and taqiyahs by Muslims, turbans by Sikhs following the 5 Kakaars of Guru Gobind Singh, prayer veils by Christians, and skullcaps, yarmulkes, and kippahs by Jews.

TITLE III: CLOTHING

A.  No clothing or uniform provided to persons imprisoned in federal prisons shall contain mixed textiles (shatnez) of both wool and linen.

B. Specially-hemmed pants that blouse or bind the pant cuffs above the ankle may be worn by prisoners, including by Muslims.

C. By January 1, 2023 each federal prison shall evaluate the potential risks of female prisoners wearing uniform dresses rather than uniform pants. If such evaluation determines that uniform dresses would not materially impact the health and safety of prisoners and prison employees, then any female prisoner, regardless of religious belief, may wear a uniform dress rather than uniform pants. Such dresses shall be paid for by the female prisoner making the request.

Passed 12-0-1-4 in the Atlasian Senate assembled,


Joseph Cao, president pro tempore