Senate rejects bid to take up foreign law ban

LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Senate has rejected an effort to take up legislation prohibiting judges in the state from basing any rulings on foreign laws, including Islamic Sharia law.

Senators on Monday rejected by a 16-11 vote a motion to bypass the Judiciary Committee and bring the proposal directly to the floor for a vote. Pulling the bill from committee is a rarely used procedural move that requires at least 18 votes.

The proposal would ban the state's courts from basing its rulings on any foreign law, legal code or system that doesn't grant fundamental liberties ensured under the U.S. or Arkansas constitutions. The measure has stalled before the Judiciary Committee, which is evenly split between Democrats and Republicans.

Read Tuesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

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