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The Weekly is a rundown of news by the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission highlighting the week’s top news stories from the public square and providing commentary on the big issues of our day.

House passes bipartisan prison reform bill

On Tuesday, the House passed a bipartisan prison reform bill authored by Reps. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) and Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.). The First Step Act was approved by a 360-59 vote, and included the support of 134 Democrats.

The bill is headed to the Senate, where it is expected to face opposition by Democrats who object that it doesn’t address sentencing reform. President Trump has signaled that he would sign the bill. Here’s what you should know about the legislation.

What is the First Step Act?

FIRST STEP is an acronym for “Formerly Incarcerated Reenter Society Transformed Safely Transitioning Every Person Act.” The primary purpose of the Act is to provide for programs to help reduce the risk that prisoners will recidivate upon release from prison. The Act requires the U.S. Attorney General, as head of the Department of Justice, to review existing policies and develop recommendations regarding evidence-based recidivism reduction programs and productive activities and to develop a Post-Sentencing Risk and Needs Assessment System. This action must be taken within 180 days of the passage of the Act.

The Act also requires that incentives and rewards be made available for prisoners who participate in and complete the reduction programs.

What types of programs does the First Step Act cover?

Evidence-based recidivism reduction programs include either group or individual activities that have shown, based on research or empirical evidence, to likely be effective in reducing recidivism (i.e., the tendency of a convicted criminal to reoffend). The programs would be designed to help prisoners succeed in their communities upon release from prison, and include such activities as classes on morals or ethics, vocational training, faith-based classes or services, or restorative justice programs.

Are faith-based programs eligible?

Yes, the Act requires considering any program, treatment, regimen, group, company, charity, person, and state that “the fact that it may be or is faith-based may not be a basis for any discrimination against it in any manner or for any purpose.”

Read the entire explainer at ERLC.com.

This week on ERLC podcasts: Daniel Darling talks to Jason Duesing about hope in an age of cynicism. On the Capitol Conversations podcast, Matt Hawkins talks to Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz about his work with the Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty in building partnerships and creating resources to share the gospel and pursue civility. On the Countermoves podcast, Andrew Walker talks to Trillia Newbell about evangelicalism and racial unity. And on the ERLC podcast, Karen Ellis talks about the Great Commission, the global persecuted church, and racial unity.

Other Issues

American Culture

Boy Scouts to provide condoms at upcoming World Jamboree
Bradford Richardson, Washington Times

The Boy Scouts will reportedly provide condoms at the upcoming World Scout Jamboree.

What Unites and Divides Urban, Suburban and Rural Communities
Pew Research Center

Despite widening gaps in politics and demographics, Americans across community types have a lot in common in key facets of their lives.

Religiously, nonwhite Democrats are more similar to Republicans than to white Democrats
Pew Research Center

While white Democrats are less likely to be religious than Republicans, nonwhite Democrats more closely resemble Republicans overall on certain religious measures.

Bioethics

Physician-Assisted Suicide and Personal Action: Responding to the Law
Public Discourse

As Gerard Mundy noted recently here at Public Discourse, the movement for physician-assisted suicide is gaining ground, with recent successes in Hawaii, Montana, Vermont, Colorado, and California (this last was, however, just overturned by Riverside Superior Court Judge Ottolia).

Doctors who got free lunches from Big Pharma were more likely to prescribe opioids
Big Think

Free meals turn out to be powerful incentives for prescribing opioids, according to a new letter published in JAMA.

A New Legal Effort Would Expand the Practice of Surrogacy in the United States
Institute for Family Studies Blog

Earlier this year, an influential legal group proposed an updated “Uniform Parentage Act” to provide states with model legislation for expanding legal rights related to the practice of surrogacy.

International Issues

In Shadow of Death, Palestinian Christians and Messianic Jews Relapse on Reconciling
Christianity Today

The body of Christ is breaking in Israel amid Jerusalem embassy move and Gaza border violence. Hanna Maher’s wife is nine months pregnant, due any day now, with only four hours of daily electricity. Her two older boys scurry about in the dark, kept ignorant by parents about the dead at the border. But it is hard to be ignorant in Gaza.

Beyond the Nakba: 7 Ways Christians Can Affirm a Positive Future for Palestinians
Christianity Today

How to understand the “catastrophe” of 1948 and its impact on today’s Israel. On April 18, the fifth day of the Hebrew month of Iyar, Israelis celebrated the 70th anniversary of their country’s founding. On May 14, Palestinians commemorated the 70th anniversary of the Nakba (Arabic for “catastrophe”), the year they lost their homeland to a foreign invader.

Religious Liberty

3 evangelicals among latest USCIRF appointees
Baptist Press

Southern Baptist Tony Perkins is among the newest advocates named to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).

Sexuality Issues

Facebook’s plan to stop revenge porn may be even creepier than revenge porn
Aja Romano, Vox

To halt revenge porn, potential victims may have to submit their own nudes to Facebook.

A record number of Americans now identify as LGBT
The Week

The number of Americans who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender has risen once again. Last year, 4.5 percent of adults surveyed by Gallup said they identified as LGBT, up from 4.1 percent in 2016 and 3.5 percent in 2012. That translates to more than 11 million Americans.

Gender dysphoria: Ohio bill protects parental rights
Baptist Press

State legislators in Ohio last week introduced a bill that would protect parents who do not want their children to undergo treatment for gender dysphoria.