DeSantis Signs Florida Law to Label Domestic Terror Groups

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed three bills into law Monday, including HB 1471, which grants the state authority to designate domestic and foreign terrorist organizations. The legislation, approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature on votes of 80-25 in the House and 25-11 in the Senate, takes effect July 1. It formalizes a process where Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass, as chief of domestic security, can recommend designations, subject to majority approval by the governor and Cabinet.[1][2][3][4] The law reinforces DeSantis' December 2025 executive order labeling the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organizations. It bars Florida courts and adjudicatory bodies from enforcing foreign or religious laws, including Sharia, if they conflict with the U.S. or Florida constitutions. DeSantis signed the bill during a press conference at the University of South Florida in Tampa, emphasizing it protects tax dollars and prevents terrorist influence in institutions.[2][4] Education provisions cut state funding to schools affiliated with designated groups and prohibit public colleges from using state or federal funds for programs promoting them. Students at state universities face expulsion if their actions are reasonably interpreted as threats, disruptions, or material support for such organizations. K-12 schools linked to these groups lose eligibility for state scholarships.[2][3][4] Democrats and civil rights advocates, including CAIR, raised alarms over a related public records exemption in HB 1473 that shields designation details, potentially denying due process. CAIR held a press conference Tuesday in South Florida denouncing the law. DeSantis countered that designations target only groups engaging in 'terroristic activity' posing ongoing threats, with appeal rights included.[2][3][6]