Abbott visits Collin County to sign bill banning Sharia Law compounds
Gov. Abbott signs Sharia law ban in North Texas
Following the controversy over Epic City in North Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott signed a law banning Sharia law in living developments in the state.
McKINNEY, Texas - Gov. Greg Abbott was in North Texas on Friday to sign a bill banning residential developers from creating Sharia Law compounds.
This comes after state Republican leaders raised concerns about a Muslim-centric development plan in Collin County called Epic City.
Sharia Law Compounds Banned
Texas lawmakers passed House Bill 4211 after some raised concerns over the East Plano Islamic Center’s planned development in Josephine, a community centered around people of the Muslim faith.
While Sharia Law is not mentioned in the bill’s language, it was intended to ban residential property developments like Epic City from creating Sharia Law compounds.
The development was set to include 1,000 homes, a mosque, and a school. The developers for the community said people from all religions would be welcomed, despite lawmakers’ claims.
EPIC City's attorney says EPIC, development a victim of 'racial profiling'
The developers behind a controversial community in Collin and Hunt counties have retained a high-profile Texas lawyer as they navigate a series of challenges from the state.
What they're saying:
The governor said the law does not target Muslims. Instead, he said it’s meant to prevent what he called discrimination on the basis of any religion.
"Regardless of which religion it is, people are not going to be able to establish these large-scale developments that limit people of only one religion to that area. You can only buy if you are in this religion. You can only sell if you are in this religion. Religious discrimination is a violation of Texas law," he said.
U.S. Dept. of Justice ends investigation of EPIC City
The U.S. Department of Justice has closed its investigation into EPIC City after developers affirmed inclusivity.
What's next:
In June, the Justice Department closed an investigation into Epic City. But there are still multiple ongoing state investigations into the development.
Lawyers for the group behind the development have called the investigations a result of "racial profiling."
The Source: FOX 4's Steven Dial gathered details for this story at a news conference held by Gov. Greg Abbott to sign HB 4211.