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WA Passes Bill On Prison Chaplains and Moral Guidance for Prisoners

By Howard Friedman

In Washington state, a unanimous vote by the state Senate gave final passage to Senate Bill 6400. As described in a release by its sponsor, the bill directs "the state Department of Corrections to study in-prison programs to help offenders build their moral character." The bill also provides that institutional chaplains appointed by the Department of Corrections "shall not be required to violate the tenets of his or her faith when acting in an ecclesiastical role." This latter provision, according to today's Tacoma News Tribune, is aimed at correcting problems highlighted earlier this year when a Catholic prison chaplain objected to permitting inmates to declare dual religious faiths. (See prior posting.) The bill now goes to the governor for his signature.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on March 11, 2008 (boomark / email).