HR 1954
Do No Harm Act
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Bill overview
The Do No Harm Act amends the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 to clarify that the Act does not apply when federal laws already protect against discrimination, promote equal opportunity, or safeguard vulnerable populations. Specifically, it exempts situations where federal law mandates protections related to civil rights, employment standards, child welfare, or healthcare access. The bill also clarifies the process for resolving disputes between private parties in litigation involving the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
Key provisions
- Exempts the Religious Freedom Restoration Act from applying when federal laws already provide protections against discrimination.
- Specifically exempts provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and the Violence Against Women Act.
- Exempts employer obligations related to wages, benefits, and collective activity.
- Exempts requirements related to child labor, abuse, and exploitation.
- Exempts government-provided healthcare access and coverage.
- Clarifies the scope of judicial proceedings involving the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
- Modifies the process for obtaining relief against the government in litigation.
Who is affected
- Individuals covered by federal civil rights laws
- Employers
- Government agencies
- Healthcare providers
- Beneficiaries of government programs
Notable changes
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Primary sponsor
Cosponsors
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119th CONGRESS — 1st Session
H. R. 1954
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To amend the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 to protect civil rights and otherwise prevent meaningful harm to third parties, and for other purposes.
This Act may be cited as the Do No Harm Act
.
Section 3 of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 2000bb–1) is amended by adding at the end the following:
Subsections (a), (b), and (c) do not apply to—
any provision of law or its implementation that provides for or requires—
an employer to provide a wage, other compensation, or a benefit, including leave, or a standard protecting collective activity in the workplace;
a protection against child labor, child abuse, or child exploitation; or
access to, information about, a referral for, provision of, or coverage for, any health care item or service;
any term of a government contract, grant, cooperative agreement, or other award, that provides funds directly or indirectly, and that requires a good, service, function, or activity to be performed for or provided to a beneficiary of or a participant in a program or activity funded, directly or indirectly, by a government contract, grant, cooperative agreement, or other award; or
the extent that application would result in denying a person the full and equal enjoyment of a good, service, benefit, facility, privilege, advantage, or accommodation provided by the government.
The purpose of the amendment made by subsection (b) is to clarify the applicability of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 2000bb et seq.).
Section 3(c) of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 2000bb–1(c)) is amended, in the first sentence, by striking judicial proceeding
and all that follows through the first period and inserting judicial proceeding to which a government is a party and obtain appropriate relief against that government.
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