A bill filed by Far Left State Senator Jamie Eldridge that would create a powerful and wide reaching one-of-a-kind commission “on the status of people who practice Islam” has received a favorable report from a Beacon Hill Committee with no opposition.
Critics have labeled the bill “an unprecedented and unconstitutional effort to promote one religion, Islam, over all others,” according to Steve Resnicoff, director of DePaul College of Law Center for Jewish Law and Judaic Studies. “It would clearly violate the principle of separation of church and state.”
The legislation would create an eleven member commission with the goal of embedding members of the Islamic faith in posts “at all levels of government” and require “all state agencies” to provide “whatever information and assistance the commission” requests.
In April 2023 Eldridge boasted “this year I became even closer to the community, filing the 1st-ever @ma_Senate Resolution celebrating #Ramadan!”
Massachusetts attorney Karen Hurvitz told the Middle East Forum in 2023 when the legislature first considered the Commission:
“Perhaps the proponents of this legislation are unaware of the First Amendment or its history. Perhaps they are used to the twenty-six countries where Islam is the official religion and where practice of other religions is not permitted. That is not the United States.”
Powers of the commission include identifying and recommending “qualified American Muslims for appointive positions at all levels of government, including boards and commissions, as the commission considers necessary and appropriate.”
According to S2134 powers specifically include:
serve as a liaison between government and private interest groups with regard to matters of unique interest and concern to American Muslims in the commonwealth;
assess programs and practices in all state agencies as they affect American Muslims, as the commission considers necessary and appropriate;
advise executive and legislative bodies on the potential effect on American Muslims of proposed legislation, as the commission considers necessary and appropriate.
State Senator Peter Durant reserved his right on the Senate version of the committee report, while on the House version, Colleen Gary recommended the committee take no action.
Republican State Representative Hannah Kane voted in favor of advancing the bill out of State Administration Committee as did every Democrat member aside from Gary.
State Representative Vanna Howard sponsored the House version along with sixteen other House members.
The proposed commission shall also “assess programs and practices in all state agencies as they affect American Muslims…advise executive and legislative bodies on the potential effect on American Muslims of proposed legislation…and generally undertake activities designed to enable the commonwealth to realize the full benefit of the skills, talents and cultural heritage of American Muslims in the commonwealth.”
In 2023 MASSterList of the State House News Service labeled opposition to the proposal as “backlash from right-wing media at a time when hate — from antisemitism and homophobia to islamophobia — is on the rise across the board.”
Eldridge told the SHNS in 2023 that opposition was “disappointing” and “to be clear the purpose of this commission is merely to address Islamophobia. To be representative, we need more Muslim Americans to run for office, to be in civic leadership.”