FACT CHECK: Did Texas Pass A Bill Banning Sharia Law In December 2024?

Christine Sellers | Fact Check Reporter

A post shared on X claims the state of Texas purportedly passed a bill banning Sharia Law in December 2024.

Verdict: False

There is no reference to the claim on Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s website or verified social media accounts, and there is no other evidence to support the claim.

Fact Check:

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Houston is “conducting law enforcement activity” alongside the Harris County Sheriff’s Office in north Houston following the deadly New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans, according to The Hill. The agency is investigating the event as a terrorist attack, the outlet reported.

The X post claims Texas purportedly passed a bill banning Sharia Law in December 2024.

“BREAKING: Texas has passed a bill banning islamic shariah [sic] law and anything that contradicts American values,” the post, which does not provide a source to support its claim, reads. The post features a photo of Abbott appearing to sign a bill.
The claim is false. Check Your Fact did not find any reference to the purported bill on Abbott’s website or his verified social media accounts. Likewise, the photo of Abbott included in the X post originally stems from a January 2024 Dallas Morning News article and shows him signing HB 900 in June 2023. According to the image’s caption, the bill “prohibits sexually explicit material in Texas public school libraries.” The image was first captured by The Associated Press. (RELATED: Was Luigi Mangione Charged With Terrorism While The Buffalo Supermarket Shooter Was Not?)
In addition, Check Your Fact did not find any credible news reports to support the claim. Actually, the opposite is true. On Dec. 31, Snopes debunked the claim. According to the outlet, the claim first circulated on X in August 2024. The original post, shared by a pro-Trump social media user, has garnered over 800,000 views as of writing. Besides X, the claim also circulated on Facebook and Threads, the outlet reported.
The false claim re-emerged on X just days before a vehicle sped through a crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing at least 15 people and injuring around 30 others, The Associated Press reported. The alleged suspect, 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, is an Army veteran from Texas, the outlet indicated.
Check Your Fact has contacted Abbott’s office for comment.

Christine Sellers

Fact Check Reporter

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