Kansas Legislature Passes Anti-Sharia Law Bill

The Kansas state Senate on Friday, by a vote of 33-3 joined the House which by a vote of 120-0 earlier in the week approved the Conference Committee version H Sub SB 79, popularly known as the Sharia law bill. The bill, as amended by the Conference Committee report, provides in part:

Any court, arbitration, tribunal or administrative agency ruling or decision shall violate the public policy of this state and be void and unenforceable if the court, arbitration, tribunal or administrative agency bases its rulings or decisions in the matter at issue in whole or in part on any foreign law, legal code or system that would not grant the parties affected by the ruling or decision the same fundamental liberties, rights and privileges granted under the United States and Kansas constitutions, including, but not limited to, equal protection, due process, free exercise of religion, freedom of speech or press, and any right of privacy or marriage.

According to a report of Friday from the Wichita Eagle, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, apologized for signing the Conference Report and thus placing the Senate in the position of having to vote on the bill. Reuters reports that Gov. Sam Brownback has not indicated whether he will sign the bill.