Friday, May 11, 2012

A bill designed to prevent Kansas courts or government agencies from relying on Islamic Shariah law or other foreign legal codes has cleared the state Legislature.

The Senate approved the bill Friday on a 33-3 vote. The House had approved it, 120-0, earlier in the week. The measure goes next to Gov. Sam Brownback.

The bill doesn't specifically mention Shariah law, which broadly refers to codes within the Islamic legal system. Instead, it says that courts, administrative agencies or state tribunals can't base rulings on any foreign law or legal system that would not grant the parties the same rights guaranteed by the state and federal constitutions.

But several supporters specifically cited the potential use of Shariah law in Kansas courts as their concern.