(10/12/2025) When Florida Rep. Hillary Cassel announced her bill to ban Shari’a law from the state’s courts, she did not frame it as a matter of legal reform or constitutional protection. She framed it as a declaration of allegiance.

“I stand strong, proud, and unyielding in defense of freedom, in defiance of hate, and in solidarity with Israel and the Jewish people,” Cassel wrote in a statement posted to social media on October 7 — the two-year anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel.

The statement left no ambiguity about what motivated House Bill 119, the “No Shari’a Act.” Cassel connected the legislation directly to the October 7 attacks, her Jewish identity, and what she described as the threat of “foreign ideologues who reject freedom and deny basic human rights.”

“On October 7th — the two year anniversary of when Hamas terrorists unleashed unspeakable violence on Israel — I filed legislation to make one thing crystal clear: Florida will never submit to foreign law, including Shari’a law, in any form, at any time, under any circumstance,” she wrote.

As the Floridian reported, the bill would effectively invalidate any Florida court decision that relies on Shari’a law in a way that violates a person’s constitutional rights, including due process and freedom of speech.

Shari’a — which translates from Arabic as “the path” or “the way” — is a religious and ethical code rooted in the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad. Much like Halakha in Judaism, Shari’a guides Muslims in everyday life, including matters of prayer, charity, dietary practices, inheritance, and personal conduct. Its interpretations vary widely across cultures and schools of thought.

Cassel, who represents Dania Beach, switched her party affiliation from Democrat to Republican in December 2024. At the time of her switch, she cited the Democratic Party’s failure to support Israel. She had served just two years as a Democrat in the state House before joining the Republican supermajority.

According to the Floridian, the bill is co-sponsored by five other representatives: Reps. Webster Barnaby of Deltona, Yvette Benarroch of Marco Island, Robert “Robbie” Brackett of Vero Beach, Juan Porras of Miami, and Debra Tendrich of Lake Worth. Tendrich is the only Democrat among the co-sponsors — and, like Cassel, she is Jewish and has been outspoken in her support for Israel.

“This bill is not a reaction — it is a prevention,” Cassel continued in her statement. “This legislation ensures that Shari’a law and any foreign legal codes that contradict our Constitution will be dead on arrival in this state. They won’t get a foothold, a platform, or a second of legitimacy in Florida.”

What Cassel did not address — in her statement or in any public remarks — is why this legislation is necessary. There is no documented case of a Florida court applying or enforcing Shari’a law. No legal proceeding in the state has been overturned on the basis of Islamic jurisprudence. The bill addresses a threat that does not exist in Florida’s courts — but it sends a very real message to the state’s Muslim community.

Cassel closed her statement with a line that made the political alignment unmistakable: “This is the free state of Florida — and I intend to keep it that way.”

Critics have noted that the bill singles out one religion’s ethical and legal traditions while ignoring others — including Jewish Halakha and Christian canon law — that also inform the practices of religious communities across the state. The selective targeting, they argue, is exactly what the First Amendment was designed to prevent.

The bill does not yet have a Senate companion. Florida’s 2026 legislative session begins January 13.