Rep. Daniel J. Burke
Filed: 4/9/2008
 
 

 




 

 		












09500HB2747ham002

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AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 2747




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    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 2747 by replacing 
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the title with the following:
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    "AN ACT concerning corrections, which may be referred to as 
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the Access to Religious Ministry Act of 2008."; and
  
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by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the 
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following:

 
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    "Section 5. The County Jail Act is amended  by adding 
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Section 26 as follows:
 
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    (730 ILCS 125/26  new)
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    Sec. 26. Detainees in immigration custody; religious 
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worker access to jails.
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    (a) Any county jail in the State of Illinois for which an 
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intergovernmental agreement has been entered into with United 
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States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for detention 
 


 






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of immigration-related detainees shall be required to provide 
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to religious workers reasonable access to such jail.
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    (b) For purposes of this Section, "reasonable access" means 
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the ability of the religious worker to enter the jail facility 
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to be available to meet with immigration detainees who wish to 
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consult with the religious worker regarding their spiritual and 
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other needs. Such access shall be at times during the 
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facility's regular visitation hours and other hours as may be 
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appropriate, provided that such times shall be no less than 
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those provided to religious workers at facilities administered 
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by the Illinois Department of Corrections for detainees in 
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criminal custody. The facility shall provide advance notice to 
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the immigration detainees of the times during which religious 
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workers shall be available for consultation under this Section, 
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and shall not limit the access of detainees  to such religious 
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workers  without good cause. Such consultation periods shall be 
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distinct from religious services offered by the facility for 
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immigration detainees and from visits by religious workers to 
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individual detainees during the facility's regular visitation 
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hours. Consultations with religious workers under this Section 
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and any other visits to detainees by religious workers outside 
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such consultation periods shall not be counted against the 
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visitation time or number of visits to which a detainee is 
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otherwise entitled under the facility's visitation policies.
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    (c) The facility shall have the right to screen individuals 
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seeking access to immigration detainees at the facility under 
 


 






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this Act to ensure that such individuals are in fact bona fide 
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clergy, members of religious orders, or lay volunteers 
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representing  established and reputable religious institutions. 
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The facility shall seek to make available for consultation 
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religious workers of various faiths reflecting the range of 
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faiths within the facility's immigration detained population. 
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Such religious workers shall be encouraged but not required to 
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have obtained training in prison ministry from programs similar 
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to that provided by the Archdiocese of Chicago Kolbe House.
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    (d) The provisions of this Section shall apply to any 
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county jail established pursuant to this Act, regardless of 
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whether such jail is administered or operated by the county or 
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by private entities that have contracted with the county.".