Bill of the Week

House Bill 911

Rest easy, Texas – Rep. Leo Berman, R-Crazy, is working hard to protect you from sharia law. Berman's the same state rep who went on CNN to question whether President Obama was born in the United States, among other stupidities. This bill, cleverly enumerated "911" (we see what you're doing there, Leo), would prohibit "a ruling or decision of a court, arbitrator, or administrative adjudicator on a matter arising under the Family Code from being based on a foreign law if the application of that law would violate a right guaranteed by the United States Constitution, Texas Constitution, or a statute of this state." We're scratching our heads trying to figure out what American court would ever base a decision on a "foreign law," but apparently Berman thinks it's already fact – he told a House committee that judicial decisions in Dearborn, Mich., are being based on sharia law because of its large Muslim population. "I heard it on a radio station here on my way in to the Capitol one day," Berman told the Dearborn Press & Guide. "I don't know Dearborn, Michigan, but I heard it on the radio. Isn't that true?" Similar allegations have been made by Newt Gingrich and other right-wing commentators, but the Press & Guide reports that Gingrich backed down when local media questioned him on it. "These people know nothing of Dearborn, and they just seek to provoke and enflame their base for political gain," said Dearborn Mayor Jack O'Reilly. Believe it or not, the bill was passed out of the Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence Committee on April 18 and is currently in the House Calendars Committee.