Republican lawmakers in Georgia have Sharia on their minds.
The ‘American Laws for Georgia Courts Act’ was recently introduced in both chambers of Georgia’s General Assembly. The bill would amend Georgia law so that “no court, arbitrator, administrative agency, or other tribunal shall enforce a foreign law if doing so would violate a right guaranteed by the Constitution of this state or of the United States.”
While Georgia’s bill is aimed at banning Sharia, it doesn’t explicitly mention it — a strategy employed in similar bills introduced other states.
State Rep. Mike Jacobs (R-Atlanta), who is vice chairman of the Georgia House Judiciary Committee, introduced the bill in the state House, and told the Fulton County Daily Report the bill would ban Sharia, while admitting that he does not know of any cases in Georgia where Islamic law has been an issue.
“We’re seeing more of a feeling that Sharia law should be applied in domestic cases,” Jacobs said.
State Rep. Wendell Willard (R-Sandy Springs), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and another of the bill’s sponsors, said he wants to “see what comes up in hearings.”
“Does it serve a real purpose or is that standard [that federal and state laws trump foreign laws] already recognized by courts in the state?” he said.
State Sen. Judson Hill (R-Marietta) introduced the bill in the state Senate.
Legislation to ban Sharia has been introduced in several states. Read TPM’s investigation of the origins of Sharia anxiety in the U.S. here.
(h/t Jim Galloway)
Eric Lach
Eric Lach is a reporter for TPM. From 2010 to 2011, he was a news writer in charge of the website’s front page. He has previously written for The Daily, NewYorker.com, GlobalPost and other publications. He can be reached at ericl(at)talkingpointsmemo.com
Disqus Conversations
Click here to read the Disqus Commenting FAQ.