The "Do No Harm Act" clarifies that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act cannot be used to bypass federal laws protecting against discrimination, ensuring equal opportunity, or safeguarding access to healthcare and other essential services.
Robert "Bobby" Scott
Representative
VA-3
The "Do No Harm Act" amends the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 to ensure religious freedom is not used to justify discrimination or harm. It clarifies that the Act does not override federal laws protecting against discrimination, ensuring equal opportunity, or safeguarding access to healthcare and other essential services. This amendment confirms that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act applies only when the government is a party in a judicial proceeding.
Do No Harm Act: Limits Religious Freedom Law to Protect Civil Rights
The Do No Harm Act amends the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA). This new bill clarifies that RFRA can't be used to bypass federal laws protecting against discrimination or ensuring equal opportunity. Think Civil Rights Act of 1964, Americans with Disabilities Act, Family and Medical Leave Act – those stay solid. The main goal? To make sure religious freedom doesn't infringe on other people's fundamental rights.
Protecting People from Discrimination
This bill basically draws a line in the sand. It says RFRA cannot be used to override laws that:
- Protect against discrimination: This includes race, gender, disability, and more (Section 2(b)(1)).
- Ensure workplace fairness: This means wages, benefits, collective bargaining, and protection from child labor are all still enforced (Section 2(b)(2)).
- Guarantee healthcare access: You can't be denied information, referrals, or coverage for any healthcare service based on someone else's religious beliefs (Section 2(b)(3)).
- Maintain equal access to government services: Everyone gets the same access to government goods, services, and benefits (Section 2(b)(5)).
Real-World Impact
So, what does this actually mean for regular folks? Let's break it down with a few examples:
- A bakery can't refuse to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple based on religious objections, because that would violate anti-discrimination laws (Section 2(b)(1)).
- A hospital can't deny a woman contraception or information about reproductive health services, even if it has religious objections (Section 2(b)(3)).
- A construction worker is still guaranteed their negotiated wage and benefits, regardless of their employer's religious beliefs (Section 2(b)(2)).
- A person can sue the government if the person believes the government is violating their religious freedom. (Section 3).
The Bottom Line
The Do No Harm Act is about balance. It preserves religious freedom without letting it be used as a weapon to discriminate or deny essential services. It's saying, "Your beliefs are protected, but they can't harm others." This is a big deal, because it reinforces the idea that everyone deserves equal treatment under the law, no matter what.