Currently SB 97 is being considered by the Senate Judiciary Committee. This bill is aimed at banning “Foreign Law” and is widely known to be specifically referring to “Shariah Law”. We already have this protection in the Constitution of the United States. This is a silly and useless bill that is not only a waste of money but casts one of the world’s great religions—diverse and complex and composed of many strains—as dangerous and murderous. It targets the small number of Muslims in our community by further marginalizing and portraying them as “separate”. We know this is not the case.

The events of the last 36 hours, when a presidential edict can target hundreds of millions of Muslims as potential terrorists, make it even more important to oppose this bill, useless as it is, because its passage will only serve to endorse this unfair and unwarranted targeting. The continuation of America’s pluralistic religious tradition depends on the ability to distinguish between punishing groups that support terror and blaming terrorist activities on a faith that represents roughly a quarter of the world’s population.

So, please write to members of the committee, even if they aren’t your representative, to urge them to vote NO on this bill.

Use the simple form on this page: Find a Montana Legislator.

Members of the committee are:

Sen. JENNIFER FIELDER (R)–Vice Chair
Sen. JEN GROSS (D)
Sen. STEVE HINEBAUCH (R)
Sen. JEDEDIAH HINKLE (R)
Sen. MARGARET ( MARGIE ) MACDONALD (D)
Sen. MARY MOE (D)
Sen. KEITH REGIER (R)–Chair
Sen. SCOTT SALES (R)
Sen. DIANE SANDS (D)–Vice Chair
Sen. NELS SWANDAL (R)
Sen. CHAS V VINCENT (R)