HF 692

as introduced - 82nd Legislature (2001 - 2002) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to crime prevention; requiring that juvenile 
  1.3             correctional facilities allow residents to attend 
  1.4             religious services in the community in certain 
  1.5             instances; prohibiting the commissioner of corrections 
  1.6             from granting or renewing licenses to facilities that 
  1.7             fail to comply with this requirement; amending 
  1.8             Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 241.05. 
  1.9   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.10     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 241.05, is 
  1.11  amended to read: 
  1.12     241.05 [RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES.] 
  1.13     Subdivision 1.  [CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES WITHIN 
  1.14  COMMISSIONER'S CONTROL.] The commissioner of corrections shall 
  1.15  allow inmates of all prisons and reformatories correctional 
  1.16  facilities under the commissioner's control to participate in 
  1.17  religious activities, during which members of the clergy of good 
  1.18  standing in any church or denomination may freely administer and 
  1.19  impart religious rites and instruction to those desiring them.  
  1.20  No officer or employee of the institution shall attempt to 
  1.21  influence the religious belief of any inmate, and no inmate 
  1.22  shall be required to attend religious services against the 
  1.23  inmate's will.  
  1.24     Subd. 2.  [JUVENILE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES.] (a) A 
  1.25  correctional facility for the detention or confinement of 
  1.26  juvenile offenders licensed under section 241.021 must allow its 
  1.27  residents who do not pose a risk to public safety to attend 
  2.1   religious services at least once a week in the community.  A 
  2.2   facility may require that a responsible adult accompany the 
  2.3   resident to and from the service. 
  2.4      (b) The commissioner of corrections may not issue or renew 
  2.5   a license under section 241.021 to a facility that does not 
  2.6   comply with paragraph (a). 
  2.7      Sec. 2.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.8      Section 1 is effective July 1, 2001.