# 119-sjres-214: 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.

119-sjres-214, 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., is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (D-OR); status introduced (as of 2026-09-27).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-sjres-214
- As of: 2026-09-27
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-sjres-214
- Congress: 119
- 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.
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-09-15
- Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (D-OR)
- Cosponsors: 12
- Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-27

## Summary

**Ban slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime.** This constitutional amendment would add a new Article saying that neither slavery nor involuntary servitude may be imposed as a punishment for a crime. - People who are incarcerated: It would bar using forced labor as a criminal punishment across all jurisdictions. It also preserves the ability of incarcerated people to consent to voluntary work and keeps existing employment protections in correctional settings. - Prisons and correctional systems: They would be required to stop imposing involuntary servitude as part of a sentence and to revise policies that rely on coerced labor. The amendment affirms that high-quality voluntary work programs may continue. - Courts, states, and laws: The proposal would supersede the 13th Amendment's punishment exception once ratified and push courts and lawmakers to align sentencing and statutes with the new ban. The text also recognizes historical harms, noting the exception led to hundreds of thousands of Black Americans being subjected to slavery after 1865, and it preserves community service as an alternative to incarceration.

## Cosponsors (12)

- Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ] (D-NJ), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] (D-CT), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL] (D-IL), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI] (D-HI), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] (D-MA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA] (D-CA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD] (D-MD), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA] (D-GA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA] (D-MA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT] (D-VT), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR] (D-OR), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL] (D-IL), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Protect incarcerated people from forced labor: benefit, medium. If ratified by three-fourths of state legislatures, this amendment would become part of the Constitution. It would state: "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude may be imposed as a punishment for a crime." If enacted, people convicted of crimes would not be forced into slavery or involuntary se…

## Related bills

- 119-s-5066: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026
- 119-s-2823: FAMILY Act
- 119-s-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act
- 119-s-5108: Right to IVF Act of 2026
- 119-s-1503: Equality Act

## Sources
- [119-sjres-214 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/214)

## Related
- [119-s-5066: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5066)
- [119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3990)
- [119-s-2823: FAMILY Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2823)
- [119-s-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-51)
- [119-s-5108: Right to IVF Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5108)
- [119-s-1503: Equality Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1503)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-sjres-214 (as of 2026-09-27).