Jul 13, 2010
French MPs vote overwhelmingly to ban full Islamic veil in public
01:18 PM

France's National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, voted overwhelmingly today to ban the wearing of the Islamic full veil in public, the BBC reports.

The vote was 335 to 1 in the 557-seat assembly. Most opposition Socialists and Communists in the parliament refused to vote.

It must now be ratified by the Senate in September to become law.

The proposed law calls for a $189 fine for first-time offenders, the Voice of America reports. Anyone forcing a woman to wear the burqa , or full veil, in public could be fined up to $18,000 and face up to a year in prison.

(Posted by Doug Stanglin)

http://www.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/Index