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Clergy access bill sails through House

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Illinois

* This would have been a better idea if legislators actually provided some funding…

The Illinois House unanimously approved a bill Wednesday that would ensure immigrant detainees in county jails have access to priests, rabbis, imams and other religious workers. The bill, which could go to the Senate for a vote next week, comes as more raids and deportations have boosted the number of immigrants at facilities in McHenry County and Downstate Pulaski County.

Like other supporters of the bill, Sister JoAnn Persch, a nun with the Catholic Campaign for Immigration Reform, says detained immigrants face depression and anxiety as they await deportation or asylum hearings. Persch said she helped spearhead the legislation after she had trouble gaining access to the McHenry County Jail in Woodstock. […]

Greg Sullivan, executive director of the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association, said the bill codifies practices for religious access that are already in place. But, he said, in some cases it can be difficult to fulfill requests, such as finding imams or rabbis in rural counties.

The feds merely require that detainees have access to all religious services. This bill takes it a step further. There are those who oppose the effort, but the bill passed unanimously, so it’s hardly radical.

* Illinoize blogger Cal Skinner has some stuff on another unfunded state mandate: driver education.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, May 15, 08 @ 9:52 am

Comments

“This would have been a better idea if legislators actually provided some funding…”

You could write that sentence 10 times a day, Rich.

Comment by GoBearsss Thursday, May 15, 08 @ 10:04 am
I’m fine with access to religious personnel, but why should taxpayers have to pay. Wouldn’t the various religious organizations be expected to pay for transportation and other services provide by their personnel.

And if there is already a law, why is she having difficulty getting into the jail. Why not enforce the law, instead of writing another one.

Comment by Cassandra Thursday, May 15, 08 @ 10:12 am
I’d be curious to know the frequency and circumstances of the demand for rabbis among immigration detainees in rural county jails. I’ve heard of influxes of undocumented workers for Harvest Season — but Tax Season?

I must have missed a change in the dialogue. It appears we’ve gone from illegal aliens to undocumented workers to immigrant detainees. A quick check of Webster’s reveals that the definition of “immigrant” is silent on legal status, so that seems right. Surprisingly, the first definition of “alien” refers to an immigrant who has not acquired citizenship through naturalization. ET doesn’t show up til the fifth definition.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, May 15, 08 @ 10:21 am
All prisoners (including U.S. citizens and immigrants) already have access to clergy, if the clergy decides to visit. That bill is unneeded, and it’s a waste of the legislators’ time and taxpayers’ money.

Comment by PhilCollins Thursday, May 15, 08 @ 10:34 am
“access to clergy” is not the same as requiring that the prisoners have access to the clergy from the religion of their choice.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, May 15, 08 @ 10:41 am
Funding and staffing are issues. My Greek Orthodox Church is limited with our numbers of priests and with prison locations at great distances from their parishes. The difficulty of fulfilling prisoner requests is much greater than “larger” religions, even with funding.

Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Thursday, May 15, 08 @ 12:33 pm