Status on Other States Ending Exceptions

In recent times where more people across the United States have noticed an exception that allows slavery and involuntary servitude on persons convicted of a crime, many have taken the right approach and have amended their state constitutions to outlaw all forms of slavery, involuntary servitude, and their derivatives to protect every person, irrespective of their status, from them.

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Rhode Island was the first state to prohibit slavery and its derivatives in all its forms in 1842, which was 23 years earlier of the ratification of the 13th Amendment to the federal American Constitution.

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Colorado became the first state in nearly two centuries to follow suit in 2018 prohibiting slavery and involuntary servitude with no exceptions.

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Just two years later, Nebraska and Utah removed their exception clauses concerning slavery and involuntary servitude in 2020.

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The recent 2022 midterm election saw Alabama, Oregon, Tennessee, and Vermont amending their state constitutions to eliminate their exception clauses to prohibit the practice of slavery and involuntary servitude in their jurisdictions.

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As one can see, a progressive pattern is emerging where more states are coming to grips with this exceptions clause and are acting to stop these perils. We are also in this joint based effort.

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If you are a resident in any of the states that have not yet successfully amended their state constitutions to prohibit slavery and involuntary servitude without exception, or states that are working towards that goal, please reach out to your local state representative as well as the Abolish Slavery National Network at their website abolishslavery.us. They will provide you resources to your state’s success in this joint-based effort.

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We are gaining the momentum!