Bill > SB1573

This bill, titled the "Arizona Foreign Decisions Act," amends existing Arizona law to prohibit courts from using or incorporating tenets of any religious sectarian law into their decisions, findings, or opinions as controlling or influential authority, and declares any such decision or ratification of a private agreement void and grounds for appeal or removal from office. The bill clarifies that "foreign law" in this context refers to any law other than the U.S. Constitution, federal laws, treaties, or Arizona's constitution and laws, and it specifically defines "Religious Sectarian Law" to include systems like Sharia Law, Canon Law, Halacha, and Karma, while explicitly excluding laws based on Anglo-American legal tradition. The legislation also makes exceptions for statutes and case law derived from the U.S. and Great Britain before the act's effective date, and for the recognition of traditional marriages. This change is presented within the context of preserving state sovereignty and the separation of church and state, asserting that Arizona retains exclusive power to regulate its courts.

Justice

https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/85203