Florida legislation seeks to keep Sharia law out of the public square
Analysis | By Easton Martin | October 9, 2025
Florida lawmakers are moving forward with legislation designed to prevent the use of Sharia or other foreign laws in state courts. The proposal, sometimes referred to as the “No Sharia Act,” outlines strict limitations on when and how foreign legal systems can be considered in judicial proceedings, emphasizing that the U.S. and Florida constitutions must remain the ultimate legal authority.
The bill would bar courts from enforcing or recognizing any judgment, decree, or arbitration decision that relies on foreign law if doing so would violate constitutional rights. It specifically states that courts must refuse to apply any legal code that undermines fundamental liberties guaranteed by the U.S. or Florida constitutions.
One of the key provisions targets contractual agreements that include clauses requiring disputes to be settled under foreign laws or in foreign jurisdictions. If such laws fail to provide protections equivalent to those in the U.S. Constitution, Florida courts would be required to disregard them. The legislation also restricts courts from dismissing cases in favor of foreign jurisdictions if doing so would deny litigants their constitutional rights.
The proposal builds on previous legislative efforts such as Senate Bill 386, which was passed in 2014. That earlier measure focused on family law cases, ensuring that foreign laws could not be applied in matters of divorce, custody, or child support unless they provided the same rights and protections guaranteed under U.S. and state law.
Similar to those earlier efforts, the new bill includes exceptions for matters preempted by federal law and internal religious disputes, ensuring that it targets only instances where foreign law could directly affect legal outcomes in Florida courts.
In short, the legislation seeks to reinforce that no foreign or religious legal system can supersede the constitutional rights of individuals within the state of Florida.
