A measure heading to the Arkansas House would prohibit judges in the state from basing any rulings on foreign laws, including Islamic Sharia law.
The House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday endorsed the bill to ban the state's courts from basing its rulings on any foreign law, legal code or system that doesn't grant fundamental liberties ensured under the U.S. or Arkansas constitutions. If signed into law, the legislation would make Arkansas the eighth state to have such a restriction enacted.
Opponents have argued such a restriction is unnecessary, saying they don't know of cases where Arkansas judges have relied on foreign laws.
Even if approved by the House, the measure faces an uphill battle in the Senate where similar legislation was rejected by a committee last week.
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