Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000
Public Law 106-274 · S. 2869 · 106th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Sep 22, 2000 · Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Sponsor: Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
Cosponsors (8): Sen. Ted Kennedy, Sen. Tim Hutchinson,
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 - Prohibits any government from imposing or implementing a land use regulation in a manner that imposes a substantial burden on the religious exercise of a person, including a religious assembly or institution, unless the government demonstrates that imposition of the burden on that person, assembly, or institution: (1) is in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest; and (2) is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest.
Prohibits any government from imposing a substantial burden on the religious exercise of a person residing in or confined to an institution, as defined in the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act, even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability, unless the government demonstrates that imposition of the burden on that person: (1) is in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest; and (2) is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest. States that nothing in this Act shall be construed to amend or repeal the Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (including provisions of law amended by that Act).
Committees
The record shows no committee referral for this bill.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 9 actions.
- Sep 22, 2000Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 106-274.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Sep 18, 2000PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Jul 27, 2000FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On passage Passed without objection.
- FloorFloor · Considered by unanimous consent.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Canady asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table and consider.
- FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Jul 13, 2000IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.