republic-os/legal/us/code/title-42/chapter-6a/section-290kk-1.md

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LegalText	42 U.S.C. § 290kk–1	Religious organizations as program participants	us	united_states_code	code_section	42	THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE	6A	PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE	290kk–1	42 U.S.C. § 290kk–1	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc42@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t42/s290kk–1	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-42/usc42.xml	9060db16ec9fae05b30aad3091898d06bd8dcaff51e729d1d59cb8652c264f38	644321055a08eb1f260a6a3e31ac157fa024756abf612a9fd6857e7e400cf24e	23749b519baf9a5bc738ea2989b0f543e897a04bfff0ded9f151136ddf2d30ba	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

42 U.S.C. § 290kk–1 - Religious organizations as program participants

Text

(a) In general Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a religious organization, on the same basis as any other nonprofit private provider—

(1) may receive financial assistance under a designated program; and

(2) may be a provider of services under a designated program.

(b) Religious organizations The purpose of this section is to allow religious organizations to be program participants on the same basis as any other nonprofit private provider without impairing the religious character of such organizations, and without diminishing the religious freedom of program beneficiaries.

(c) Nondiscrimination against religious organizations (1) Eligibility as program participants Religious organizations are eligible to be program participants on the same basis as any other nonprofit private organization as long as the programs are implemented consistent with the Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to restrict the ability of the Federal Government, or a State or local government receiving funds under such programs, to apply to religious organizations the same eligibility conditions in designated programs as are applied to any other nonprofit private organization.

(2) Nondiscrimination Neither the Federal Government nor a State or local government receiving funds under designated programs shall discriminate against an organization that is or applies to be a program participant on the basis that the organization has a religious character.

(d) Religious character and freedom (1) Religious organizations Except as provided in this section, any religious organization that is a program participant shall retain its independence from Federal, State, and local government, including such organization’s control over the definition, development, practice, and expression of its religious beliefs.

(2) Additional safeguards Neither the Federal Government nor a State shall require a religious organization to—

(A) alter its form of internal governance; or

(B) remove religious art, icons, scripture, or other symbols,

in order to be a program participant.

(e) Employment practices Nothing in this section shall be construed to modify or affect the provisions of any other Federal or State law or regulation that relates to discrimination in employment. A religious organization’s exemption provided under section 2000e–1 of this title regarding employment practices shall not be affected by its participation in, or receipt of funds from, a designated program.

(f) Rights of program beneficiaries (1) In general If an individual who is a program beneficiary or a prospective program beneficiary objects to the religious character of a program participant, within a reasonable period of time after the date of such objection such program participant shall refer such individual to, and the appropriate Federal, State, or local government that administers a designated program or is a program participant shall provide to such individual (if otherwise eligible for such services), program services that—

(A) are from an alternative provider that is accessible to, and has the capacity to provide such services to, such individual; and

(B) have a value that is not less than the value of the services that the individual would have received from the program participant to which the individual had such objection.

Upon referring a program beneficiary to an alternative provider, the program participant shall notify the appropriate Federal, State, or local government agency that administers the program of such referral.

(2) Notices Program participants, public agencies that refer individuals to designated programs, and the appropriate Federal, State, or local governments that administer designated programs or are program participants shall ensure that notice is provided to program beneficiaries or prospective program beneficiaries of their rights under this section.

(3) Additional requirements A program participant making a referral pursuant to paragraph (1) shall—

(A) prior to making such referral, consider any list that the State or local government makes available of entities in the geographic area that provide program services; and

(B) ensure that the individual makes contact with the alternative provider to which the individual is referred.

(4) Nondiscrimination A religious organization that is a program participant shall not in providing program services or engaging in outreach activities under designated programs discriminate against a program beneficiary or prospective program beneficiary on the basis of religion or religious belief.

(g) Fiscal accountability (1) In general Except as provided in paragraph (2), any religious organization that is a program participant shall be subject to the same regulations as other recipients of awards of Federal financial assistance to account, in accordance with generally accepted auditing principles, for the use of the funds provided under such awards.

(2) Limited audit With respect to the award involved, a religious organization that is a program participant shall segregate Federal amounts provided under award into a separate account from non-Federal funds. Only the award funds shall be subject to audit by the government.

(h) Compliance With respect to compliance with this section by an agency, a religious organization may obtain judicial review of agency action in accordance with chapter 7 of title 5.

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title V, § 596A, formerly § 582, as added Pub. L. 106–554, § 1(a)(7) [title I, § 144], Dec. 21, 2000, 114 Stat. 2763, 2763A–620; renumbered § 596A, Pub. L. 119–44, title I, § 107(a)(2), Dec. 1, 2025, 139 Stat. 674.)