Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill that prohibits Florida courts from using foreign or religious laws.
Under HB 1471, a “court, administrative law judge, hearing officer, agency, arbitration panel, or any other authority or tribunal, established by law or agreement of the parties may not apply any provision of foreign law or religious law that would result in a violation of a person’s rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution or the State Constitution.” It notes that a court cannot enforce a “foreign judgment or order that is the result of the application of any provision of foreign law or religious law which is inconsistent with a person’s rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution or the State Constitution or which violates the public policy of the United States or this state by being repugnant to fundamental principles of what is decent and just.”
“To uphold the rule of law, our state must operate under one legal system, the Constitution must remain the law of the land, and we must defend our institutions from those who would harm us—especially terrorist organizations that seek to infiltrate and subvert our education system,” DeSantis said in a statement. “HB 1471 reinforces these principles in Florida, and I was proud to sign it into law today.”
Similarly, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is calling for the Islamic Tribunal to hand over documents surrounding its rulings based on sharia law. The tribunal has reportedly moved to replace legitimate courts of law, Paxton’s office noted.
