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To establish a prohibition on fees related to religious participation, and for other purposes.
Summary
The bill creates a federal crime for imposing fees, fines, surcharges, penalties, or other financial obligations on someone based on their participation in or refusal to participate in any religious theology, denomination, or organization. Violations would result in fines and imprisonment of up to one year for fees not exceeding $1,000, or up to three years for larger amounts. The bill also prohibits denying goods, services, access, or opportunities to someone based on their failure to pay such a prohibited fee, with penalties of up to one year imprisonment and fines. The bill includes an exception allowing religious organizations and educational institutions to request or receive voluntary contributions from members for internal purposes. The offense is added to federal RICO statutes and takes effect 30 days after enactment.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Rep. Self, Keith [R-TX-3] (R-TX)
1 cosponsor
- Rep. Fuller, Clay [R-GA-14] (R-GA)
Actions (2)
- Apr 16, 2026 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. · house
- Apr 16, 2026 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Full text
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. <all>
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