Governor Greg Abbott has signed House Bill 4211 into law, prohibiting residential property developments in Texas from establishing Sharia compounds. The legislation targets business models like EPIC City, which state officials say attempted to create exclusive communities based on religious criteria.
“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 organizers behind EPIC City allegedly intended to develop a city open only to Muslims, impose Sharia law on residents, and limit landowners’ ability to sell their property freely. He emphasized that while the new law preserves religious freedom—a core value for Texas—it also protects against efforts to enforce Sharia law within the state.
The bill signing event included several lawmakers: Congressman Keith Self, Senator Angela Paxton, Representative Jeff Leach, Representative Candy Noble, Representative Katrina Pierson, Representative Keresa Richardson, and Representative Matt Shaheen.
House Bill 4211 (Noble/Hughes) introduces regulations for housing developments such as EPIC City. The law aims to prevent discriminatory housing practices and restrict unfair investment schemes that could negatively impact Texans.
Additional photos from the event are expected to be released soon.
