Oppose SB1573's Discriminatory Ban on Religious Sectarian Law

I urge you to oppose Senate Bill 1573, which is scheduled for consideration in the Senate Judiciary and Elections Committee. This legislation, sponsored by Senator Wendy Rogers, would prohibit Arizona courts from using or referring to any "religious sectarian law" in judicial decisions while explicitly exempting laws "based on Anglo-American legal tradition and principles." The bill specifically targets Sharia Law, Canon Law, Halacha, and Karma for exclusion while protecting legal principles inherited from Great Britain before the act's effective date. This carve-out for Anglo-American tradition while banning other religious legal frameworks is discriminatory and rooted in xenophobic ideology rather than legitimate legal concerns. Arizona courts already operate under the U.S. Constitution and state law. No court in Arizona has ever been compelled to apply foreign religious law in a way that violates constitutional protections. SB1573 creates a solution in search of a problem. Its true purpose is to stigmatize religious minorities, particularly Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, and Buddhist communities, by singling out their legal traditions as dangerous while elevating Christian and European-derived principles. The bill even declares that any judicial decision relying on religious sectarian law provides grounds for impeachment and removal from office, creating a chilling effect on judges who might consider cultural context in family law or contract disputes where parties have voluntarily agreed to religious arbitration. This legislation echoes efforts by xenophobic organizations to demonize non-Christian faiths under the guise of protecting American values. Arizona's strength lies in its diversity, and our legal system already has robust protections against unconstitutional applications of any law, foreign or domestic. SB1573 serves only to divide communities and send a message that certain Arizonans are less welcome than others based on their faith. I ask you to vote no on SB1573 and stand against legislation that promotes discrimination under the pretense of judicial reform.