Governor Greg Abbott has signed House Bill 4211, a new law aimed at banning residential property developments in Texas from creating so-called Sharia compounds. The law is intended to prevent discrimination and fraudulent practices by developers such as those behind the EPIC City project.
“One of the issues at stake is the freedom of religion,” said Governor Abbott. “Another issue at stake is what’s called the right to contract. The fact is, religious freedom is a central part of the Texas Constitution. But bad actors like EPIC and EPIC City tried to use religion as a form of segregation. We will ensure that we have the laws and law enforcement in place to prevent attempts to build such discriminatory compounds in the state of Texas.”
During his remarks, Abbott described how EPIC City was designed as a community open only to Muslims, with residents subject to Sharia law and restrictions on selling property. He emphasized that the legislation preserves religious freedom while also protecting Texans from having Sharia law imposed upon them.
The bill signing event included Congressman Keith Self, Senator Angela Paxton, Representative Jeff Leach, Representative Candy Noble, Representative Katrina Pierson, Representative Keresa Richardson, Representative Matt Shaheen, and other officials.
House Bill 4211 (Noble/Hughes) targets business schemes that create housing developments like EPIC City. The measure seeks to prevent discriminatory housing arrangements and unfair investment practices that could harm residents across Texas.
Additional photos from the event are expected to be released soon.
