The bill would add religion as a protected ground under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act for programs receiving federal financial assistance. It would exempt programs conducted, controlled, or affiliated with religious organizations, including student religious organizations. For colleges and other postsecondary institutions, discrimination would include deliberate indifference to harassment that is severe, pervasive, objectively offensive, and denies a victim equal access to education. The bill also calls for enforcement of Title VI against discrimination rooted in antisemitism. Colleges found to have repeated antisemitic discrimination violations in the same program within five years would face fines: at least 10% of that program’s federal assistance for a second violation, or at least 33% for a third. The bill would also require notices to students, faculty, and staff after a finding, monitoring of certain lawsuits, and reports on fines.
Students, faculty, and staff at covered colleges would be notified if their institution is found to have violated Title VI through antisemitic discrimination. The bill would also require agencies and courts to consider steps taken to prevent and remedy discrimination when deciding compliance or violations. It states that it does not override First Amendment protections.
The bill does not provide an estimate of federal implementation costs. It would require fines against institutions for certain repeat violations, based on the federal assistance received by the affected program.
No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.