TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The state is moving ahead with Florida House Bill 1471, which would give the head of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement broad reign to label groups as terrorist organizations.
The stated intention by supporters is to prevent state funding from going to groups that are supporting organized violence.
The sponsor says it's not about beliefs or even speech, but rather targets those who take action towards violence.
The other side:
Free speech advocates and student groups are warning that it could open a slippery slope towards policing speech itself.
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Those opposed say they are concerned that the authority to make the determination is left to one person, and that person is appointed by the governor.
"You're not only violating our First Amendment rights," one public speaker said. "You're saying that dissent is not the American way."
The dissenters, who were most of the public speakers, argued that blanket declarations almost always go too far, especially against campus groups.
"Would a student who is protesting ICE be considered a domestic terrorist? Would they be expelled for liking a tweet? For posting something, for bringing something up for discussion in class," another public speaker said.
They say a political appointee should not have the power to make these declarations without a court's input.
What they're saying:
"This bill isn't about peaceful protests or unpopular opinions," State Rep. Hillary Cassel (R-Hollywood), the bill’s sponsor, said. "The bill is aimed at disruptive conduct and the promotion of terrorist organizations."
Labor unions also registered their opposition.
They point to a line in the bill that says terrorism means an activity that "influences the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion."
"I can tell you when our local unions are forced to go on strike, to correct an injustice in the workplace or to make a policy change," Dr. Rich Templin of the Florida AFL CIO said. "Part of the goal is to intimidate."
Dig deeper:
The bill passed the education committee, with two Democrats joining 14 Republicans in voting yes.
One of those was State Rep. Kim Daniels, who said she remembered the fight against segregation, but also argued the state has an obligation to keep campuses secure.
"I don't believe that the NAACP will be labeled as a terrorist group," Daniels said. "I simply don't believe that."
The bill says groups can be labeled as domestic terrorists, though some stipulations in companion bills say the decision process can be kept from the public.
Those who are labeled as domestic terrorists would have the right to challenge the finding in court.
What's next:
The bill still has another committee to go through before it gets to the house floor.
The Senate would have to vote as well before the bill gets to the governor.
The Source: Information for this story was gathered from a Florida House committee hearing and interviews with the AFL-CIO of Florida.