A new bill filed in the Florida Legislature seeks to prohibit state courts and arbitrators from enforcing any law or contract provision rooted in foreign legal systems — including Sharia law — if doing so would violate constitutional rights guaranteed under U.S. or Florida law.
The proposed legislation, House Bill 119, formally named the “No Sharia Act,” was introduced by Rep. Hillary Cassel (R–FL) and is expected to be one of the more high-profile cultural bills debated during the upcoming legislative session.
What the Bill Does
HB 119 would make any state court ruling, arbitration decision, or contract unenforceable if it:
- Applies Sharia law or any foreign legal code; and
- Violates constitutional rights, including due process, equal protection under the law, freedom of speech, or free exercise of religion
The bill also bars Florida courts and state agencies from transferring civil cases to jurisdictions that apply foreign law in ways that would infringe on these rights.
“Foreign law,” as defined in the bill, includes laws of other countries, as well as those of international bodies like foreign tribunals or organizations.
However, the bill exempts religious organizations handling internal religious matters (such as church governance) and businesses that voluntarily follow foreign court rulings for commercial purposes.
If passed, the measure would go into effect July 1, 2026.
The Political and Cultural Context
Rep. Cassel announced the bill on October 7, 2025, the second anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel, a symbolic date intended to underscore the bill’s broader message.
“On October 7th […] I filed legislation to make one thing crystal clear: Florida will never submit to foreign law, including Sharia law, in any form, at any time, under any circumstance,” said Cassel, who is Jewish and a vocal advocate for religious freedom and constitutional protections.
Cassel, a former Democrat who switched parties in 2024, said the legislation is meant to act as a safeguard against foreign ideologies that are incompatible with American values.
“This bill draws a hard, immovable line: Florida’s laws are written by Americans, for Americans,” she said. “This is the free state of Florida — and I intend to keep it that way.”
National Trend and Legal Implications
Florida is not the first state to consider such legislation. Over the past decade, several states — including Oklahoma, Alabama, Arizona, and Louisiana — have passed similar laws banning courts from considering or applying foreign or religious laws in civil rulings.
Supporters argue the measures are preventative, ensuring constitutional supremacy in an increasingly globalized and diverse legal landscape.
Critics, however, have accused such bills of targeting Muslim communities or unnecessarily duplicating existing constitutional protections.
What’s Next?
- The 2026 Florida legislative session begins on January 13.
- No Senate companion bill has yet been filed.
- If the bill passes, Florida would formally join a growing number of states with explicit legal protections against the enforcement of foreign or religious legal codes that contradict constitutional guarantees.
For now, HB 119 stands as a clear signal of Florida Republicans’ ongoing emphasis on sovereignty, constitutional rights, and cultural security, as the state continues to brand itself as a national leader in conservative governance.
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How is this even a question under our Constitution? Time to VOTE OUT every Democrat (and RINO) that can be voted out in 26. This is what happens when a political party cares more about non-citizens than the AMERICAN CITIZENS that EMPLOY THEM! BTW, this comes from a LIFELONG Democrat (voting for 47 years of that life) that was taught to vote conscience that became more and more disenchanted over the years over the party that left a lot of folks behind. Time to get out of the party that I had hoped might salvage itself. It is BEYOND redemption!