A R C H I V E S
Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| State of California Passes Halal Food Law |
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| AyeshaZ |
| 07/12/02 at 14:06:41 |
In The Name of ALLAH, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful. California has followed in the footsteps of New Jersey, Minnesota, Illinois, and Michigan to become the fifth state to pass a law governing Halal Food. California Governor Gray Davis signed into law AB1828 at the Islamic Center of Southern California saying, "Muslim consumers, like any other consumers, deserve protection against false advertising." Under the leadership of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA), and with the support of the Muslim community in California and IFANCA, Assemblyman Bill Campbell sponsored the Halal Food Bill. The bill was co-authored by Assembly Members Aroner, Bates, Daucher, Harman, Leach, Maddox, and Robert Pacheco and Senator Ackerman. "On behalf of the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA), we congratulate CAIR and the Muslim community in California for initiating this process and helping make it a reality and we commend the legislature of the State of California and Governor Davis for responding to the needs of the local Muslim community. This continues the momentum towards nationwide consumer protection for the Halal consumer", said Dr. Muhammad M. Chaudry, President of IFANCA. Like the Halal Food Laws passed in the other states, this law is intended to prevent businesses from misleading or defrauding consumers. Dr. Ahmad Sakr, a director of IFANCA and of the Muslim Education Center in Walnut, California, had this to say: "It is a very positive approach on behalf of Governor Davis to come and sign the bill at the Islamic Center. It's not easy for a governor to travel all the way from Sacramento and meet the Muslims at the Islamic Center. The same goes for Assemblyman Bill Campbell who also came to the signing ceremony traveling from Sacramento. That shows their humbleness and nobility. We should be thankful first to ALLAH (GOD) and second to the politicians who brought this bill into reality." "CAIR had taken the initiative and Dr. Chaudry and I (IFANCA) worked with them and with congressman Bill Campbell's office to see the bill through." "California is the fifth state to approve this law after New Jersey, Minnesota, Illinois and Michigan. We hope that Muslims wake up and work towards getting these laws approved in all states." "A unique aspect of this law is that a person claiming to certify any meat as Halal should himself be certified by an Islamic certifying body. We have to educate and warn the Imams that they be should careful before certifying any product." "Muslims should also recognize that apart from slaughtering, they should also be concerned about mad cow and other diseases associated with wrong feeding practices." (The full text of the Halal Food Law can be found at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/asm/ab_1801-1850/ab_1828_bill_20020702_chaptered.html) ...end... |
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