Rep. Daniel J. Burke

Filed: 5/9/2008

 

 


 

 


 
09500HB2747ham004 LRB095 01002 RLC 49679 a

1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 2747

2     AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 2747 by replacing
3 the title with the following:
4     "AN ACT concerning corrections, which may be referred to as
5 the Access to Religious Ministry Act of 2008."; and
 
6 by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the
7 following:
 
8     "Section 5. The County Jail Act is amended by adding
9 Section 26 as follows:
 
10     (730 ILCS 125/26 new)
11     Sec. 26. Detainees in immigration custody; religious
12 worker access to jails.
13     (a) Any county jail in the State of Illinois for which an
14 intergovernmental agreement has been entered into with United
15 States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for detention

 

 

09500HB2747ham004 - 2 - LRB095 01002 RLC 49679 a

1 of immigration-related detainees shall be required to provide
2 to religious workers reasonable access to such jail. Such
3 access shall be consistent with the safety, security, and the
4 orderly operation of the facility.
5     (b) For purposes of this Section, "reasonable access" means
6 the ability of the religious worker to enter the jail facility
7 to be available to meet with immigration detainees who wish to
8 consult with the religious worker regarding their spiritual
9 needs. Such access shall be at times set by the sheriff or his
10 or her designee. The facility shall provide advance notice to
11 the immigration detainees of the times during which religious
12 workers shall be available for consultation under this Section,
13 and shall not limit the access of detainees to such religious
14 workers without good cause. Consultations with religious
15 workers under this Section shall not be counted against the
16 visitation time or number of visits to which a detainee is
17 otherwise entitled under the facility's visitation policies.
18     (c) The sheriff or his or her designee shall have the right
19 to screen and approve individuals seeking access to immigration
20 detainees at the facility under this Act to ensure that such
21 individuals are in fact bona fide clergy, members of religious
22 orders, or lay volunteers representing established and
23 reputable religious institutions.".