301.065 Religious organizations; contract powers.

(1) Religious organizations; legislative purpose. The purpose of this section is to allow the department to contract with, or award grants to, religious organizations, under any program administered by the department relating to the prevention of delinquency and crime or the rehabilitation of offenders, on the same basis as any other nongovernmental provider, without impairing the religious character of such organizations, and without diminishing the religious freedom of beneficiaries of assistance funded under such program.

(2) Nondiscrimination against religious organizations. If the department is authorized under ch. 16 to contract with a nongovernmental entity, or to award grants to a nongovernmental entity, religious organizations are eligible, on the same basis as any other private organization, to be contractors and grantees under any program administered by the department so long as the programs are implemented consistently with the first amendment to the U.S. Constitution and article I, section 18, of the Wisconsin Constitution. Except as provided in sub. (11), the department may not discriminate against an organization that is or applies to be a contractor or grantee on the basis that the organization does or does not have a religious character or because of the specific religious nature of the organization.

(3) Religious character and freedom.

(a) The department shall allow a religious organization with which the department contracts or to which the department awards a grant to retain its independence from government, including the organization's control over the definition, development, practice, and expression of its religious beliefs.

(b) The department may not require a religious organization to alter its form of internal governance or to remove religious art, icons, scripture, or other symbols to be eligible for a contract or grant.

(4) Rights of beneficiaries of assistance.

(a) If the department contracts with or awards grants to a religious organization for the provisions of crime prevention or offender rehabilitation assistance under a program administered by the department, an individual who is eligible for this assistance shall be informed in writing that assistance of equal value and accessibility is available from a nonreligious provider upon request.

(b) The department shall provide an individual who is otherwise eligible for assistance from an organization described under par. (a) with assistance of equal value from a nonreligious provider if the individual objects to the religious character of the organization described under par. (a) and requests assistance from a nonreligious provider. The department shall provide such assistance within a reasonable period of time after the date of the objection and shall ensure that it is accessible to the individual.

(6) Nondiscrimination against beneficiaries. A religious organization may not discriminate against an individual in regard to rendering assistance that is funded under any program administered by the department on the basis of religion, a religious belief or nonbelief, or a refusal to actively participate in a religious practice.

(7) Fiscal accountability.

(a) Except as provided in par. (b), any religious organization that contracts with, or receives a grant from, the department is subject to the same laws and rules as other contractors and grantees regarding accounting, in accord with generally accepted auditing principles, for the use of the funds provided under such programs.

(b) If the religious organization segregates funds provided under programs administered by the department into separate accounts, only the financial assistance provided with those funds shall be subject to audit.

(8) Compliance. Any party that seeks to enforce its rights under this section may bring a civil action for injunctive relief against the entity that allegedly commits the violation.

(9) Limitations on use of funds for certain purposes. No funds provided directly to religious organizations by the department may be expended for sectarian worship, instruction, or proselytization.

(10) Certification of compliance. Every religious organization that contracts with, or receives a grant from, the department to provide delinquency and crime prevention or offender rehabilitation services to eligible recipients shall certify in writing that it has complied with the requirements of subs. (6) and (9) and submit to the department a copy of this certification and a written description of the policies the organization has adopted to ensure that it has complied with the requirements under subs. (6) and (9).

(11) Preemption. Nothing in this section may be construed to preempt any other statute that prohibits or restricts the expenditure of federal or state funds by or the granting of federal or state funds to religious organizations.

History: 2001 a. 16.