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HB0119 • 2026

Shari'a and Other Foreign Law

Shari'a and Other Foreign Law

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Cassel ; (CO-INTRODUCERS) Barnaby ; Benarroch ; Brackett ; Cobb ; Conerly ; Holcomb ; Plakon ; Porras ; Tendrich
Last action
2026-01-09
Official status
House - Withdrawn prior to introduction
Effective date
2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on the impact of the bill on religious organizations beyond ecclesiastical matters. The candidate explanation's claim about religious organization matters was removed due to lack of supporting evidence in the provided text.

No Shari'a Act

This law makes it illegal for courts and contracts in Florida to use certain foreign laws or the Islamic legal system called Shari'a if they violate U.S. constitutional rights.

What This Bill Does

  • Defines what 'foreign law, legal code, or system' means.
  • Makes rulings, decisions, or contract provisions that allow Shari'a or other foreign laws unenforceable if these violate fundamental liberties and rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.
  • Prohibits transferring civil cases to another court if it would result in applying Shari'a or certain foreign laws that violate constitutional rights.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Courts and administrative agencies in Florida
  • People who make contracts involving Shari'a or other foreign laws

Terms To Know

Shari'a
The Islamic legal system based on the teachings of the Quran and Hadith.
Foreign law, legal code, or system
Laws from countries outside the United States that may be used in court decisions or contracts.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not apply to corporations, partnerships, or associations that choose to follow foreign laws voluntarily.
  • It also doesn't affect cases where federal law takes precedence over state law.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-09 House

    • Withdrawn prior to introduction

  2. 2025-10-14 House

    • Referred to Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee • Referred to Judiciary Committee • Now in Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee

  3. 2025-10-08 House

    • Filed

Official Summary Text

Shari'a and Other Foreign Law; Defines "foreign law, legal code, or system"; provides that certain rulings, decisions, or contractual provisions are void & unenforceable if such rulings, decisions, or contractual provisions allow application of Shari'a or certain foreign laws, legal codes, or systems; prohibits transfer of certain civil actions to another court.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB 119 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb119-00
Page 1 of 3
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to application of Shari'a and other 2
foreign law; creating s. 45.085, F.S.; providing a 3
short title; providing legislative findings; defining 4
the term "foreign law, legal code, or system"; 5
providing that certain rulings, decisions, or 6
contractual provisions are void and unenforceable if 7
such rulings, decisions, or contractual provisions 8
allow the application of Shari'a or certain foreign 9
laws, legal codes, or systems; providing construction; 10
amending s. 47.122, F.S.; prohibiting the transfer of 11
certain civil actions to another court; providing an 12
effective date. 13
14
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 15
16
Section 1. Section 45.085, Florida Statutes, is created to 17
read: 18
45.085 Application of Shari'a and other foreign law.— 19
(1) This act may be cited as the "No Shari'a Act." 20
(2) The Legislature recognizes the right to freely 21
contract under state law but finds that such right must be 22
circumscribed when the application of foreign law would violate 23
the fundamental liberties, rights, and privileges guaranteed by 24
the United States Constitution and the State Constitution, 25

HB 119 2026

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hb119-00
Page 2 of 3
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

including, but not limited to, equal protection, due process of 26
law, free exercise of religion, freedom of speech and the press, 27
the right of privacy, and the right of marriage. 28
(3) As used in this act, the term "foreign law, legal 29
code, or system" means any law, legal code, or system of a 30
jurisdiction outside of any state or territory of the United 31
States, including international organizations and tribunals. 32
(4)(a) A ruling or decision of a state court, arbitration 33
panel, tribunal, or administrative agency which is based, in 34
whole or in part, on Shari'a or any foreign law, legal code, or 35
system; 36
(b) A contract, or contractual provision if severable, 37
which provides for the choice of Shari'a or any foreign law, 38
legal code, or system; or 39
(c) A contract, or contractual provision if severable, 40
which grants jurisdiction to a foreign tribunal 41
42
is void and unenforceable if such ruling, decision, or provision 43
allows the application of Shari'a or any foreign law, legal 44
code, or system that denies the parties the fundamental 45
liberties, rights, and privileges guaranteed under the United 46
States Constitution or the State Constitution. 47
(5) This act does not: 48
(a) Disapprove or abrogate existing precedent of the 49
Florida Supreme Court; 50

HB 119 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb119-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

(b) Limit adjudication of ecclesiastical matters of a 51
religious organization, including the selection, appointment, 52
discipline, or removal of clergy or interpretation of doctrine; 53
(c) Apply to corporations, partnerships, or associations 54
that voluntarily subject themselves to foreign law or courts; or 55
(d) Apply where federal law preempts state law, including 56
obligations under treaties or international agreements. 57
Section 2. Section 47.122, Florida Statutes, is amended to 58
read: 59
47.122 Change of venue; convenience of parties or 60
witnesses or in the interest of justice; prohibition.— 61
(1) Except as provided in subsection (2), for the 62
convenience of the parties or witnesses or in the interest of 63
justice, any court of record may transfer any civil action to 64
any other court of record in which it might have been brought. 65
(2) A state court, arbitration panel, tribunal, or 66
administrative agency may not transfer any civil action under 67
this section if such transfer would result in the application of 68
Shari'a or any foreign law, legal code, or system that would 69
violate or likely violate the fundamental liberties, rights, and 70
privileges of the parties guaranteed under the United States 71
Constitution or the State Constitution. 72
Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 73