FAITH Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8353 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8353

To establish a prohibition on fees related to religious participation, 
                        and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 16, 2026

   Mr. Self introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
To establish a prohibition on fees related to religious participation, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Freedom Against Imposed Theology 
Harms Act'' or the ``FAITH Act''.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON FEES RELATED TO RELIGIOUS PARTICIPATION.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 13 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 251. Prohibition on fees related to religious participation
    ``(a) Offense.--Whoever knowingly imposes, assesses, collects, or 
attempts to impose, assess, or collect any fee, fine, surcharge, 
penalty, or other financial obligation from any person based on that 
person's participation or membership in, or refusal to participate in 
or become a member of, any religious theology, denomination, or 
organization shall--
            ``(1) in the case that the fee, fine, surcharge, penalty or 
        other financial obligation does not exceed $1,000, shall be 
        fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 1 year, or 
        both; or
            ``(2) in any other case, shall be fined under this title, 
        imprisoned not more than 3 years, or both.
    ``(b) Prohibiting Denial of Goods and Services.--Whoever knowingly 
denies goods, services, access, or opportunities to a person on the 
basis of nonpayment of any fee prohibited under subsection (a) shall be 
fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.
    ``(c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed to restrict the ability of religious organizations and 
educational institutions to request or receive voluntary contributions 
from their members for internal purposes.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 13 of 
title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following:

``251. Prohibition on fees related to religious participation.''.

SEC. 3. RICO OFFENSE.

    Section 1961(1) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by 
inserting ``section 251 (relating to the prohibition on fees tied to 
religious participation),'' after ``section 224 (relating to sports 
bribery),''.

SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take effect 30 
days after the date of enactment of this Act.
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