Arizona Lawmakers Pass Bill Targeting Use of Sharia Law in State Courts

Arizona Senate lawmakers passed legislation on Monday that would explicitly prohibit the use of Sharia law in state courts, a proposal supporters say clarifies existing statutes governing the application of foreign law in judicial proceedings.

The measure, Arizona Senate Bill 1018, would amend Arizona law to specify that the definition of “foreign law” includes Sharia law, the religious legal tradition associated with Islam. 

Under current Arizona law, state courts are prohibited from enforcing foreign laws when doing so would violate the U.S. Constitution, the Arizona Constitution, or state statutes. 

SB 1018 would revise that framework by explicitly naming Sharia law within the statute governing the application of foreign law in state courts and by expanding the definition to include any legal system outside U.S. federal or Arizona law. 

Supporters of the proposal say the measure is intended to clarify that religious or foreign legal codes cannot override constitutional protections in Arizona courts.

The legislation was introduced by State Sen. Janae Shamp (R-LD29) and passed the Senate floor in a 17-12 vote after receiving committee approval. 

Opponents also say the bill singles out a specific religious legal tradition and could stigmatize Muslim communities in the state. Senate Minority Leader Priya Sundareshan told AZ Capitol Times that the bill specifically referenced the practices of female genital mutilation, forced marriage, and “domestic violence or spousal abuse that is justified by cultural, religious, or family authority,” stating that they could be considered related to some followers of Islam.

She told the outlet, “So really, what this bill does is it singles out a group of people, and it singles out a religion for harassment and discrimination merely by the fact that we are talking about this,” adding, “It is targeted discrimination. It is asking for more harassment and discrimination.”

In a statement to the California Globe, Sen. Shamp said, “This bill aims to defend American rights and ensure our legal system remains clear and consistent.”

She explained, “Sharia law is a religious legal system that, in practice, has been used to justify unequal treatment of women, restrictions on free speech, and punishment for religious dissent — all of which conflict directly with the U.S. Constitution. Allowing any foreign or religious law into our courts creates dangerous ambiguity. This legislation sends a strong message: in America, the Constitution takes precedence.”

A broader national trend has seen several states pass laws limiting the use of foreign or religious legal systems in court proceedings over the past decade. Measures prohibiting the application of Sharia law or other foreign legal codes have previously been adopted in 10 other states—Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Washington —according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Arizona already has statutory restrictions on foreign law in judicial decisions, and critics of SB 1018 argue the proposal is largely symbolic because those protections already exist. However, Sen. Hildy Angius (R-LD2) pushed back on the objection, telling the Times, “But that’s not the point,” adding that the bill is designed to address the judicial process after the law has already been broken.

ICYMI: Senate OKs @AZSenatorShamp measure to declare Sharia law can't be used or cited in Arizona even as @SenatorAngius acknowledges that what that might include is already illegal. "But that's not the point,'' she says. https://t.co/F1Zp1gg6pU pic.twitter.com/xK4dIelTu1

— Capitol Media Services 📢 Telling it like it is (@azcapmedia) March 4, 2026

“This amendment addresses whether any external legal system may ever be invoked to justify, excuse, or pressure conduct that violates Arizona law,” Angius said. “Clarifying legal supremacy is not redundant. It is preventative.”

She also rebuked claims that the bill targets the Islamic faith, saying, “Sharia is a legal system. This amendment does not judge faith. It clarifies authority.”

The legislation is continuing through the Arizona Legislature and would require approval by the House of Representatives before being sent to Governor Katie Hobbs for consideration, where its adoption outlook is grim. Since taking office in 2023, Gov. Katie Hobbs has vetoed more than 390 bills passed by the Republican-led Legislature, per the Times, more than any governor in Arizona history.