Utah Legislature: House panel OKs foreign laws bill

SALT LAKE CITY — A new bill would require Utah courts to refuse to enforce foreign laws if they conflict with state or U.S. law.

On Thursday a House committee approved HB296, which supporters say would be the first of its kind in the country.

The bill's sponsor, Rep. Carl Wimmer, R-Herriman, was originally scheduled to present his bill a week ago, but reworked the legislation after businesses expressed concern about potential harm to international trade.

In the end, Wimmer said, his revised bill has a consensus of support from his contacts in the business community.

U.S. Senate contender and attorney Mike Lee joined Wimmer to promote the bill and argued that it is necessary to protect American constitutional rights from encroachment by foreign laws that may not afford the same protections.

"Some countries have similar legal systems … but many are anathema to our system," Lee said.

When pressed by the committee, the bill's supporters could not identify cases where foreign laws have trumped U.S. law, but Wimmer promised to provide more information. "I can't say it is occurring in Utah, but it is occurring," he said.

— Josh Smith