Read the full stored bill text
H. B. No. 11 *HR43/R1386* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR43/R1386
PAGE 1 (GT\KP)
To: Judiciary A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representative Arnold
HOUSE BILL NO. 11
AN ACT TO CREATE NEW SECTION 11-63-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1
1972, TO PROHIBIT THE APPLICATION OF SHARIA LAW IN DIVORCE AND 2
CHILD CUSTODY CASES; TO AMEND SECTION 11-63-1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 3
1972, TO CLARIFY THE PROHIBITION AGAINST USE OF SHARIA LAW IN 4
COURT ORDERS; TO AMEND SECTIONS 11-7-301 AND 93-9-30, MISSISSIPPI 5
CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM TO THE PRECEDING SECTIONS; AND FOR 6
RELATED PURPOSES. 7
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 8
SECTION 1. The following shall be codified as Section 9
11-63-3, Mississippi Code of 1972: 10
11-63-3. (1) (a) A contract provision involving the 11
marriage relationship which provides that a foreign law is to 12
govern a dispute arising under the contract is void to the extent 13
that the application of the foreign law to the dispute would 14
violate a fundamental right guaranteed by the United States 15
Constitution or the constitution of this state. 16
(b) A contract provision involving the marriage 17
relationship providing that the forum to resolve a dispute arising 18
under the contract is located outside the states and territories 19
of the United States is void if the foreign law that would be 20
H. B. No. 11 *HR43/R1386* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1386
PAGE 2 (GT\KP)
applied to the dispute in that forum would, as applied, violate a 21
fundamental right guaranteed by the United States Constitution or 22
the constitution of this state. 23
(2) (a) A ruling or decision of a court, arbitrator, or 24
administrative adjudicator in a suit affecting the parent-child 25
relationship may not be based on a foreign law if the application 26
of that law would violate a fundamental right guaranteed by the 27
United States Constitution or the constitution or a statute of 28
this state. 29
(b) A contract provision involving the parent-child 30
relationship providing that a foreign law is to govern a dispute 31
arising under the contract is void to the extent that the 32
application of the foreign law to the dispute would violate a 33
fundamental right guaranteed by the United States Constitution or 34
the constitution of this state. 35
(c) A contract provision involving the parent-child 36
relationship providing that the forum to resolve a dispute arising 37
under the contract is located outside the states and territories 38
of the United States is void if the foreign law that would be 39
applied to the dispute in that forum would, as applied, violate a 40
fundamental right guaranteed by the United States Constitution or 41
the constitution of this state. 42
SECTION 2. Section 11-63-1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 43
amended as follows: 44
H. B. No. 11 *HR43/R1386* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1386
PAGE 3 (GT\KP)
11-63-1. (1) In this section, "foreign law" means any law, 45
rule, legal code or legal system other than the constitution, laws 46
and ratified treaties of the United States and the territories of 47
the United States, the constitution and laws of another state of 48
the United States, Native American tribal law, the Mississippi 49
Constitution of 1890, and the laws of this state. 50
(2) (a) A court, arbitrator, administrative agency or other 51
adjudicative, mediation or enforcement authority shall not enforce 52
a foreign law that violates the Mississippi Constitution, any laws 53
of this state, the United States Constitution, any laws or 54
ratified treaties of the United States and the territories of the 55
United States * * *. 56
(b) Any order by a court, arbitrator, administrative 57
agency or other adjudicative, mediation or enforcement authority 58
that seeks to enforce foreign law in violation of paragraph (a) of 59
this subsection (2) shall be void. 60
SECTION 3. Section 11-7-301, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 61
amended as follows: 62
11-7-301. In Sections 11-7-301 through 11-7-309 "foreign 63
judgment" means any judgment, decree or order of a court of the 64
United States * * *. The term "foreign judgment" shall not mean 65
or include any judgment, decree or order from any jurisdiction 66
outside of the United States or its territories, or any judgement 67
from another state or territory of the United States that applies 68
H. B. No. 11 *HR43/R1386* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1386
PAGE 4 (GT\KP)
ST: Sharia law; prohibit the application of in
divorce and child custody cases.
law from a jurisdiction outside of the United States or its 69
territories. 70
SECTION 4. Section 93-9-30, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 71
amended as follows: 72
93-9-30. In any proceeding in Mississippi, either before a 73
court or administrative tribunal, wherein the question of 74
paternity may arise, and a determination or adjudication of 75
paternity has been made through either a voluntary acknowledgement 76
procedure, an administrative determination or a judicial order in 77
another state or jurisdiction of the United States, then upon 78
certification of that determination or adjudication by competent 79
administrative or judicial authority of such state or 80
jurisdiction, the court or administrative tribunal in Mississippi 81
shall give full faith and credit to that * * * determination or 82
adjudication, and it shall be conclusive proof of its substance; 83
however, such full faith and credit shall not be given to any 84
foreign law as provided in Section 11-61-1. 85
SECTION 5. This act shall take effect and be in force from 86
and after July 1, 2026. 87