,,ii  #aac? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #bgjf  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,july #cj1 #bjad ,mr4  
,enzi introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0    
read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on  
,f9ance  ,a ,,bill  ,to ensure t        
organizations ) religi\s or moral       
convictions are all[$ to cont9ue to     
provide s]vices = *ildr54  #a4  ,%ort   
title  ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,*ild  
,welf>e ,provid] ,inclusion ,act (      
#bjad4  #b4  ,f9d+s & purposes  7a7     
,f9d+s  ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3  7#a7  
,*ild welf>e s]vice provid]s1 bo?       
individuals & organizations1 h ! inh]5t1
 fundam5tal1 & inali5able "r to free    
ex]cise ( religion protect$ by ! ,unit$ 
,/ates ,con/itution4  7#b7 ,! "r to free
 ex]cise ( religion = *ild welf>e s]vice
 provid]s includes ! fre$om to refra9 f 
conduct t conflicts ) _! s9c]ely held   
religi\s beliefs4  7#c7 ,mo/ ,/ates     
provide gov]nm5t-fund$ *ild welf>e      
s]vices ?r\gh v>i\s *>itable1 religi\s1 
& private organizations4  7#d7 ,religi\s

 organizations1 9 p>ticul>1 h a l5g?y & 
di/+ui%$ hi/ory ( provid+ *ild welf>e   
s]vices t pr$ates gov]nm5t involvem5t4  
7#e7 ,religi\s organizations h long be5 
& %\ld cont9ue contract+ ) & receiv+    
grants f gov]nm5tal entities to provide 
*ild welf>e s]vices4  7#f7 ,religi\s    
organizations _c provide c]ta9 *ild     
welf>e s]vices1 su* z fo/]-c>e or       
adoption placem5ts1 )\t receiv+ a       
gov]nm5t contract1 grant or lic5se4     
7#g7 ,religi\s organizations display    
p>ticul> excell5ce :5 provid+ *ild      
welf>e s]vices4  7#h7 ,*ildr5 & families
 b5efit greatly f ! *ild welf>e s]vices 
provid$ by religi\s organizations4  7#i7
 ,gov]nm5tal entities & (ficials        
adm9i/]+ f$]ally fund$ *ild welf>e      
s]vices 9 "s ,/ates1 includ+            
,massa*usetts1 ,cali=nia1 ,ill9ois1 & ! 
,di/rict ( ,columbia1 h refus$ to       
contract ) religi\s organizations t are 
unable1 due to s9c]ely held religi\s    
beliefs or moral convictions1 to provide
 a *ild welf>e s]vice t conflicts1 or "u

 circum/ances t conflict1 ) ^? beliefs  
or convictions2 & t refusal has =c$ _m  
religi\s organizations to end _! long & 
di/+ui%$ hi/ory ( excell5ce 9 !         
provision ( *ild welf>e s]vices4  7#aj7 
,ensur+ t religi\s organizations c      
cont9ue to provide *ild welf>e s]vices w
 b5efit ! *ildr5 & families t receive ^?
 f$]ally fund$ s]vices4  7#aa7 ,/ates   
also provide gov]nm5t-fund$ *ild welf>e 
s]vices ?r\gh individual *ild welf>e    
s]vice provid]s ) v>y+ religi\s & moral 
convictions4  7#ab7 ,_m individual *ild 
welf>e s]vice provid]s ma9ta9 s9c]ely   
held religi\s beliefs or moral          
convictions t relate to _! "w & %\ld n  
be =c$ to *oose betwe5 _! livelihood &  
adh]5ce to ^? beliefs or convictions4   
7#ac7 ,because gov]nm5tal entities      
provide *ild welf>e s]vices ?r\gh _m    
*>itable1 religi\s1 & private           
organizations1 ea* ) v>y+ religi\s      
beliefs or moral convictions1 & ?r\gh   
div]se individuals ) v>y+ religi\s      
beliefs or moral convictions1 !         

religi\sly impell$ inability ( "s       
religi\s organizations or individuals to
 provide c]ta9 s]vices w n h a mat]ial  
effect on a p]son's ability to access   
f$]ally fund$ *ild welf>e s]vices4      
7#ad7 ,! activities ( fund+ & adm9i/]+  
^! *ild welf>e s]vices sub/antially     
affect int]/ate comm]ce4  7#ae7 ,tak+   
adv]se actions aga9/ *ild welf>e s]vice 
provid]s t are unable1 due to _! s9c]ely
 held religi\s beliefs or moral         
convictions1 to provide c]ta9 s]vices   
7or provide s]vices "u c]ta9            
circum/ances7 sub/antially affects      
int]/ate comm]ce4  7#af7 ,! provisions (
 ?is ,act are rem$ial measures t are    
congru5t & proportional to protect+ !   
con/itutional rights ( *ild welf>e      
s]vice provid]s gu>ante$ "u ! ,f\rte5?  
,am5dm5t to ! ,unit$ ,/ates             
,con/itution4  7#ag7 ,congress has !    
au?ority to pass ?is ,act pursuant to   
its sp5d+ clause p[]1 comm]ce clause    
p[]1 & en=cem5t p[] "u section #e ( !   
,f\rte5? ,am5dm5t to ! ,unit$ ,/ates    

,con/itution4  7b7  ,purposes  ,!       
purposes ( ?is ,act are z foll[s3  7#a7 
,to prohibit gov]nm5tal entities f      
discrim9at+ or tak+ an adv]se action    
aga9/ a *ild welf>e s]vice provid] on ! 
basis t ! provid] decl9es to provide a  
*ild welf>e s]vice t conflicts1 or "u   
circum/ances t conflict1 ) ! s9c]ely    
held religi\s beliefs or moral          
convictions ( ! provid]4  7#b7 ,to      
protect *ild welf>e s]vice provid]s'    
ex]cise ( religion & to ensure t        
gov]nm5tal entities w n be able to =ce  
^? provid]s1 ei!r directly or           
indirectly1 to discont9ue all or "s ( _!
 *ild welf>e s]vices because !y decl9e  
to provide a *ild welf>e s]vice t       
conflicts1 or "u circum/ances t         
conflict1 ) _! s9c]ely held religi\s    
beliefs or moral convictions4  7#c7 ,to 
provide relief to *ild welf>e s]vice    
provid]s ^: rights h be5 violat$4  #c4  
,discrim9ation & adv]se actions         
prohibit$  7a7 ,! ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t1 &   
any ,/ate t receives f$]al fund+ = any  

program t provides *ild welf>e s]vices  
"u "p ,b or "p ,e ( title ,,iv ( !      
,social ,security ,act 7& any           
subdivision1 (fice or dep>tm5t ( su*    
,/ate7 %all n discrim9ate or take an    
adv]se action aga9/ a *ild welf>e s]vice
 provid] on ! basis t ! provid] has     
decl9$ or w decl9e to provide1          
facilitate1 or ref] = a *ild welf>e     
s]vice t conflicts )1 or "u circum/ances
 t conflict )1 ! provid]'s s9c]ely held 
religi\s beliefs or moral convictions4  
7b7 ,subsection 7a7 does n apply to     
conduct =bidd5 by p>agraph 7#ah7 (      
section #dga7;a7 ( su* ,act4  #d4       
,funds )held = violation  ,! ,secret>y (
 ,heal? & ,human ,s]vices %all )hold f a
 ,/ate #ae p]c5t ( ! f$]al funds ! ,/ate
 receives = a program t provides *ild   
welf>e s]vices "u "p ,b or "p ,e ( title
 ,,iv ( ! ,social ,security ,act if !   
,/ate violates section #c :5 adm9i/]+ or
 disburs+ funds "u su* program4  #e4    
,private "r ( action  7a7 ,a *ild welf>e
 s]vice provid] aggriev$ by a violation 

( section #c may ass]t t violation z a  
claim or def5se 9 a judicial proce$+ &  
obta9 all appropriate relief1 includ+   
decl>atory relief1 injunctive relief1 & 
comp5satory damages1 ) respect to t     
violation4  7b7 ,a *ild welf>e s]vice   
provid] t prevails 9 an action by       
e/abli%+ a violation ( section #c is    
entitl$ to recov] reasonable attorneys' 
fees & co/s4  7c7 ,by accept+ or exp5d+ 
f$]al funds 9 connection ) a program t  
provides *ild welf>e s]vices "u "p ,b or
 "p ,e ( title ,,iv ( ! ,social         
,security ,act1 a ,/ate waives its      
sov]eign immunity = any claim or def5se 
t is rais$ "u ?is section4  #f4         
,sev]ability  ,if any provision ( ?is   
,act1 or any application ( su* provision
 to any p]son or circum/ance1 is held to
 be uncon/itutional1 ! rema9d] ( ?is    
,act & ! application ( ! provision to   
any o!r p]son or circum/ance %all n be  
affect$4  #g4  ,effective date  7a7 ,!  
am5dm5ts made by ?is ,act %all take     
effect on ! #a/ day ( ! #a/ fiscal ye>  

beg9n+ on or aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( 
?is ,act1 & ! )hold+ ( funds au?oriz$ by
 section #d %all apply to paym5ts "u    
p>ts ,b & ,e ( su* ,act = cal5d> qu>t]s 
beg9n+ on or aft] su* date4  7b7 ,if    
legislation 7o!r ?an legislation        
appropriat+ funds7 is requir$ = a       
gov]nm5tal entity to br+ itself into    
compliance ) ?is ,act1 ! gov]nm5tal     
entity %all n be reg>d$ z violat+ ?is   
,act be=e ! #a/ day ( ! #a/ cal5d> qu>t]
 beg9n+ aft] ! fir/ regul> session ( !  
legislative body t beg9s aft] ! date ( !
 enactm5t ( ?is ,act4 ,= purposes ( !   
prec$+ s5t5ce1 if ! gov]nm5tal entity   
has a #b-ye> legislative session1 ea*   
ye> ( ! session is deem$ to be a sep>ate
 regul> session4  #h4  ,def9itions  ,!  
foll[+ def9itions apply ?r\gh\t ?is     
,act3  7#a7 ,! t]m *ild welf>e s]vice   
provid] includes organizations1         
corporations1 gr\ps1 entities1 or       
individuals t provide or seek to        
provide1 or t apply = or receive a      
contract1 subcontract1 grant1 or        

subgrant = ! provision (1 *ild welf>e   
s]vices4 ,! provid] ne$ n be engag$     
exclusively 9 *ild welf>e s]vices to be 
consid]$ a *ild welf>e s]vice provid]4  
7#b7 ,! t]m *ild welf>e s]vices means   
social s]vices provid$ to or on behalf (
 *ildr51 includ+ assi/+ abus$1 neglect$1
 or tr\bl$ *ildr51 c\nsel+ *ildr5 or    
p>5ts1 promot+ fo/] p>5t+1 provid+ fo/] 
homes or tempor>y gr\p %elt]s = *ildr51 
recruit+ fo/] p>5ts1 plac+ *ildr5 9 fo/]
 homes1 lic5s+ fo/] homes1 promot+      
adoption1 recruit+ adoptive p>5ts1      
assi/+ adoptions1 support+ adoptive     
families1 assi/+ k9%ip gu>dian%ips1     
assi/+ k9%ip c>egiv]s1 provid+ family   
pres]vation s]vices1 provid+ family     
support s]vices1 & provid+ "t-limit$    
family reunification s]vices4  7#c7 ,!  
t]m ,/ate includes any ( ! sev]al       
,/ates1 ! ,di/rict ( ,columbia1 any     
commonweal?1 t]ritory or possession ( ! 
,unit$ ,/ates1 & any political          
subdivision !re(4  7#d7 ,! t]ms fund+1  
fund$1 or funds include money paid      

pursuant to a contract1 grant1 v\*]1 or 
simil> means4  7#e7 ,! t]m adv]se action
 includes1 b is n limit$ to1 d5y+ a *ild
 welf>e s]vice provid]'s application =  
fund+1 refus+ to r5ew ! provid]'s fund+1
 cancel+ ! provid]'s fund+1 decl9+ to   
ent] into a contract ) ! provid]1 refus+
 to r5ew a contract ) ! provid]1 cancel+
 a contract ) ! provid]1 decl9+ to issue
 a lic5se to ! provid]1 refus+ to r5ew !
 provid]'s lic5se1 cancel+ ! provid]'s  
lic5se1 t]m9at+ ! provid]'s employm5t1  
or any o!r adv]se action t mat]ially    
alt]s ! t]ms or conditions ( ! provid]'s
 employm5t1 fund+1 contract1 or lic5se4