Stop the Bigoted "No Shari'a" Bills!

I urge you to vote NO on SB977 (Schroer), SB1011 (Nocola), HB2139 (Jordan), HB2175 (Perkins), HB2327 (Lucas), SB1372 (Brattin), and HB 2106 (Reuter), the proposed so-called “No Shari’a” bills. While their stated aim is to protect constitutional rights, their true effect is to target religious minorities, undermine international cooperation, and create legal chaos. The bills stigmatize an entire faith by explicitly naming “Shari’a law,” a term representing personal religious practice for millions, alongside broader concerns about foreign law. This is discriminatory, fosters division, and ignites baseless fear. These proposals are not necessary. Our Constitution and existing legal precedent already provide the ultimate shield against any ruling, contract, or judgment that violates fundamental liberties. These bills solve a problem that does not exist, at the cost of fueling intolerance. In addition, the legislation dangerously overreaches. One version explicitly nullifies all jurisdiction, rules, and mandates of the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and the World Economic Forum. This is an alarming attempt to isolate Missouri from global cooperation on public health, humanitarian aid, and economic stability. It directly threatens our state’s ability to respond to pandemics, participate in trade, and benefit from shared scientific knowledge. The language is also dangerously overbroad and creates legal chaos. By prohibiting contracts that “provide for the choice of” foreign law, it threatens international business agreements, trade, and commercial arbitration that Missourians rely on for our economy. It intrudes upon the freedom of contract and could invalidate routine agreements. Finally, the bills risk infringing on the First Amendment rights of all religious communities. While they include a limited carve-out for internal church matters, they explicitly override religious law in family matters like inheritance, dictating how citizens of faith may arrange their private lives. These bills are a solution in search of a problem. They are discriminatory, harmful to our economy, and a threat to religious freedom. I urge you to reject them.