Efforts by States to Eliminate the Exception Allowing Slavery or Involuntary Servitude as Punishment for a Crime

Efforts by States to Eliminate the Exception Allowing Slavery or Involuntary Servitude as Punishment for a Crime

Efforts by States to Eliminate the Exception Allowing Slavery or Involuntary Servitude as Punishment for a Crime

The Thirteenth Amendment to The U.S. Constitution abolishes slavery and involuntary servitude except when it is punishment for a crime.Twenty-three states have similar language in their Constitutions. Colorado removed the exception in 2018, and five other states are working to eliminate it. The chart below tracks the twenty-three states and the status of their efforts to abolish slavery and involuntary servitude.This chart will be periodically updated. It was last updated May 2020.

Read the tracker here.