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S 1059 98th Congress Senate

Equal Access Act

Official title: A bill to provide that it shall be unlawful to deny equal access to students in public schools and public colleges who wish to meet voluntarily for religious p… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: A bill to provide that it shall be unlawful to deny equal access to students in public schools and public colleges who wish to meet voluntarily for religious purposes and to provide district courts with jurisdiction over violations of this Act.

Introduced: April 15, 1983 See on congress.gov
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues Civil actions and liabilityCourts and Civil ProcedureEducationMeditation
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Religion and ClergyReligion in the public schoolsTorts
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This bill died when the 98th Congress ended
It never became law before the 98th Congress (1983–1984) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 10 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Aug 1, 1984
Indefinitely postponed by Senate by Unanimous Consent.
May 4, 1984
Committee on Judiciary received executive comment from Office of the U.S. Attorney General.
Feb 22, 1984
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 657.
Feb 22, 1984
Committee on Judiciary. Reported to Senate by Senator Thurmond with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and an amendment to the title. With written report No. 98-357. Minority views filed.
Sep 15, 1983
Committee on Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Aug 3, 1983
Committee on Judiciary. Hearings concluded. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 98-512.
Apr 28, 1983
Committee on Judiciary. Hearings held.
Apr 20, 1983
Committee on Judiciary requested executive comment from Office of the U.S. Attorney General.
Apr 15, 1983
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
Apr 15, 1983
Introduced in Senate
 Amendments to this bill 2

Amendments propose changes to this bill. Members vote on amendments separately before the final bill vote. An agreed amendment becomes part of the bill; a failed amendment does not.

AmendmentSponsorPurposeStatusLatest action
SAMDT 2,980 – To amend the title. Pending –
SAMDT 2,979 – To provide a Hatfield-Denton compromise that it shall be unlawful to deny equal access to students in public … Pending –
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 Latest action August 1, 1984

Indefinitely postponed by Senate by Unanimous Consent.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Equal Access Act - Prohibits public schools that allow students to participate in extracurricular activities from denying equal access or opportunity for students and faculty to engage in voluntary prayer or religious discussion on school premises during noninstructional periods.

Grants Federal court jurisdiction to hear actions for damages or injunctive relief arising out of this Act.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Republican 1
R
Grassley, Chuck
Iowa · Oct 17, 1983
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 1059: Equal Access Act. 98th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/98-S-1059/
MLA
"S. 1059: Equal Access Act." 98th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/98-S-1059/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 1059, 98th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/98-S-1059/.
Markdown link
[S. 1059: Equal Access Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/98-S-1059/)
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