Legislative

271 West Maple
Downtown Birmingham
248.258.0212

Glitch

Dispute over prisoners' rights stalls state religious freedom legislation.

JULIE WIENER
Staff Writer

t first, it looked like it
would pass within a matter
of weeks.
But more than six
months later, the Michigan Religious
Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) still
has not appeared on the floor of the
state Senate.
The proposed legislation, which
aims "to reaffirm the freedom to prac-
tice the mandates of one's faith with-
out undue interference by the govern-
ment," has been delayed in part by
controversy over its exemption of pris-
oners.
The United States Supreme Court
struck down the federal Religious

A

2/20
1998

22

11114

1)A:twilit dk

Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) last
procedures are critical for legal or
medical reasons.
June, but gave states the right to draft
their own religious freedom acts.
"This is the most important reli-
In response, local branches of the
gious freedom legislation of our time,
Jewish Community Council, Anti-
said Don Cohen, director of the
Defamation League, National Council Michigan Anti-Defamation League
of Jewish Women and American
(ADL). "We have the ability to re-
Jewish Committee came togeth-
establish constitutional pro-
tection
in this state that will
er in a state coalition with a
RFRA legisla-
affect people for generations
diverse group of religious and
tion is pend-
civil liberties organizations to
to come."
ing in the
lobby for a Michigan version of state Senate.
Cohen and other propo-
RFRA.
nents of RFRA originally
hoped the bill would move
According to coalition mem-
quickly through the House and Senat
bers, RFRA requires the government
and would become law before the leg-
to accommodate religiovs practices
when they come into conflict with
islature broke for its summer recess.
laws and regulations. For example, it
However, the version of RFRA tha
would exempt traditional Jews from
ended up passing in the House in Jul
stipulates that the rights do not apply
laws requiring autopsies, unless the