Mississippi legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Mississippi SC529: Recognize Anniversary of "Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act" and Prison Fellowship.
Status: Passed both chambers, April 6, 2026
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION AFFIRMING THE IMPORTANCE OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY PROTECTIONS FOR INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS UNDER THE RELIGIOUS LAND USE AND INSTITUTIONALIZED PERSONS ACT OF 2000 (RLUIPA) ON THE OCCASION OF ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY AND RECOGNIZING THE FAITH-BASED REHABILITATION CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE PRISON FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM ON THE OCCASION OF ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY.
What the bill says
A concurrent resolution affirming the importance of religious liberty protections for incarcerated individuals under the religious land use and institutionalized persons act of 2000 (rluipa) on the occasion of its 25th anniversary and recognizing the faith-based rehabilitation contributions of the prison fellowship program on the occasion of its 50th anniversary.
From the enrolled text, April 6, 2026:
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION AFFIRMING THE IMPORTANCE OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY PROTECTIONS FOR INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS UNDER THE RELIGIOUS LAND USE AND INSTITUTIONALIZED PERSONS ACT OF 2000 (RLUIPA) ON THE OCCASION OF ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY AND RECOGNIZING THE FAITH-BASED REHABILITATION CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE PRISON FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM ON THE OCCASION OF ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY. WHEREAS, the First Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion, and these protections do not end at the prison gate; and WHEREAS, RLUIPA ensures that individuals in prisons, jails, and other institutions receiving federal funds are not subjected to unjustified burdens on their religious exercise; and WHEREAS, the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, now in its 25th year, affirms the fundamental right of individuals who are incarcerated to freely exercise their faith while in custody; and WHEREAS, under RLUIPA, governments may not impose a substantial burden on an incarcerated individual's religious exercise unless they can demonstrate that it furthers a compelling *SS36/R1269* S. C. R. No. 529 ~ OFFICIAL ~ N1/2 26/SS36/R1269 PAGE 1 (rdd\kr) governmental interest and is the least restrictive means of doing so; and WHEREAS, the Supreme Court has consistently upheld RLUIPA's constitutionality and importance in cases including Cutter v. Wilkinson (2005), Holt v. Hobbs (2015), Dunn v. Smith (2021), and Ramirez v. Collier (2022), reaffirming that religious liberty protections …
Sponsors
- England, Jeremy (R, 51) · primary sponsor
- Frazier, Hillman Terome (D, 27)
Latest actions
- : Enrolled Bill Signed
- : Returned For Enrolling
- : Adopted
- : Title Suff Do Be Adopted
- : Referred To Rules
- : Transmitted To House
- : Adopted
- : Title Suff Do Be Adopted
- : Referred To Rules
Votes
- Adopted (April 1, 2026): 82 yea, 1 nay, passed
- Adopted (March 13, 2026): 47 yea, 0 nay, passed
Common questions
- What is SC529?
- SC529 is a bill in the Mississippi Legislature (2026 Regular Session): Recognize Anniversary of "Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act" and Prison Fellowship.
- What does SC529 do?
- In its own words: A concurrent resolution affirming the importance of religious liberty protections for incarcerated individuals under the religious land use and institutionalized persons act of 2000 (rluipa) on the occasion of its 25th anniversary and recognizing the faith-based rehabilitation contributions of the prison fellowship program on the occasion of its 50th anniversary.
- What is the status of SC529?
- Passed both chambers as of April 6, 2026. Latest action: Enrolled Bill Signed (April 6, 2026).
- Who sponsored SC529?
- England, Jeremy (R, 51), with 1 co-sponsor.
- Where is the official record for SC529?
- On the Mississippi Legislature website: http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/history/SC/SC0529.xml
Source: official Mississippi record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.