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Proposal to Prohibit Slavery as Punishment for Crime

This proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution aims to completely eliminate the possibility of using slavery or involuntary servitude as a punishment for committing a crime. If adopted, it would mean that no person convicted of a crime could be forced to work against their will by law.
Key points
Proposes amending the U.S. Constitution to prohibit slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime.
If adopted, no one convicted of a crime could be forced to work against their will.
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Status:
Expired
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Additional Information
Print number: 117_SJRES_21
Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
Process start date: 2021-06-17
System Note: Lustra is free, publicly auditable civic infrastructure, with full source code available on GitHub. You are reading sterilized legislative data, processed by our radical neutrality engine to strip political spin and retain factual mechanics. We process only official government data. Original documents remain the authoritative source, always verify them if you can.
Summarized by: gemini-2.5-flash-preview-04-17
Source data: api.congress.gov
AI work logs for this document launch

OFFICIAL LEGAL TITLE

A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to prohibit the use of slavery and involuntary servitude as a punishment for a crime.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the official ID of this bill?

The official print number for this legislation is 117_SJRES_21.

Which chamber initiated this legislation?

This legislation was initiated in the Senate.

When did the legislative process begin?

The process officially started on 2021-06-17.

What are the main provisions?

Key points include:

  • Proposes amending the U.S. Constitution to prohibit slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime.
  • If adopted, no one convicted of a crime could be forced to work against their will.
What is the specific legal status?

The current status is Expired.

Where can I read the full text of this legislation?

The full official text is available at: View full text

Who is the primary sponsor?

The primary sponsor is Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR].

What is the latest detailed status?

The latest detailed status is: Introduced in Senate

Is this summary verified?

Yes. This content was analyzed by AI and verified by the Lustra Judge System on 2025-12-28.

What is the impact of this bill?

We don't know, that is up to you to decide. Summarizing raw data with AI is fundamentally different from predicting socio-economic outcomes. As of 2026, we believe impact assessment strictly requires a human in the loop to verify and judge.

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