Gov. DeSantis signs Florida law targeting terrorist groups, protecting constitutional rights over foreign law

TAMPA, Fla. - On Monday, Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB 1474 during a press conference at the University of South Florida.

The bill is referred to as Systems of Law and Terrorist Organizations, and it creates a "shield" to ensure Florida courts don't use laws from other countries or religious codes if they conflict with the U.S. or Florida Constitutions.

The bill also expands the state's power to label groups as terrorists and treat "domestic" groups with the same severity as "foreign" ones and cuts off state funding and university resources for any group or student promoting these organizations, and ensures that Florida courts cannot use foreign or religious laws to bypass the U.S. Constitution."

What they're saying:

"We’ll do millions for public safety. Millions for education, but never one red cent for Jihad," DeSantis said.

"I have personally seen women murdered for wanting an education and so much more," explained Lt. Governor Jay Collins. "There will be no honor killings. No padding of the law. In reality, murder is murder and in Florida, we understand that. Today, Florida says no, not now, not ever, in the free state of Florida. HB 1471 removed the possibility before it ever touches our children. It also creates a state-designation process with real teeth. FDLE’s chair of domestic security can flag domestic or foreign terrorist organizations. In Florida, we have it very simply put. We will designate, defund and dissolve people who don’t stand for our values. Materials support is now a felony. To give money, guns or military training to those savages is a felony. Joining them with intent to spill blood – also a felony. We don’t play games. We will hold you accountable because that is what we have done in the free state of Florida. The education system also got a little clean up and it’s good to see that. Private-voucher schools cannot affiliate. Students who promote them, meaning support them, can get expelled and lose in-state tuition and fee waivers. Public universities can’t spend a dime promoting terrorism or jihad and that’s exactly how it should be."

Courtroom Protections: "Constitutional Supremacy"

The bill creates a "shield" to ensure Florida courts don't use laws from other countries or religious codes if they conflict with the U.S. or Florida Constitutions.

• Foreign/Religious Law: Judges, arbitrators, and agencies are banned from applying any foreign or religious law that would violate a person’s basic constitutional rights (like due process or freedom of speech).
• Contracts: Even if two people sign a contract saying "we will use the laws of a specific country to settle our disputes," a Florida court can throw that out if that country's laws would violate the signee's constitutional rights.

Defining & Designating Terrorist Groups

The bill expands the state's power to label groups as terrorists and treat "domestic" groups with the same severity as "foreign" ones.

• The "Domestic" Label: It creates a formal process to label groups within the U.S. as "domestic terrorist organizations."
• Who Decides: The Chief of Domestic Security (within the FDLE) makes the recommendation.
• The Check and Balance: The Governor and the Cabinet must approve the designation by a majority vote. Organizations have a right to notice and a way to appeal the label.

Criminal Penalties & Business Dissolution

• Joining/Supporting: It becomes a specific state crime to knowingly join, provide "material support" (money, lodging, weapons), or receive military training from a domestic terrorist organization.
• Corporate "Death Penalty": The Department of State is authorized to administratively "dissolve" (shut down) any corporation or business entity designated as a terrorist organization.

Education & Funding Restrictions

State Funding: Public schools and universities are prohibited from using any state or federal money to promote or support activities linked to terrorist organizations.

Vouchers & Private Schools: Private schools that accept state vouchers are banned from being owned by, operated by, or contracting with anyone affiliated with these groups.

University Penalties: State universities could lose performance-based funding if they are found to be promoting these organizations.

Student Visas: Colleges and universities are required to report students on student visas to federal authorities (Homeland Security) if those students are found to be promoting terrorism.

Student Benefits: Students who promote these organizations lose eligibility for certain fee waivers and public grants.

The other side:

But the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, which the governor insists has historically had links to terror despite their denials, says the threat of Sharia Law is non-existent.

"There is no effort to bring Sharia into the American Muslim space," said the executive director of CAIR Florida, Hiba Rahim, "or into the American space, because Muslims who live in America are taught to obey the law of the land. That is what Sharia teaches us."

But more importantly, CAIR argues, is the potential designation of terrorist organizations.

RELATED: CAIR sues Governor DeSantis over foreign terrorist organization designation

They say that is already the purview of Federal agencies, and that the shielding of certain public records in the designation process could lead Florida leaders to clamp down on political opponents.

"This is going to be one of those bills that turn into a law that later people are going to say, ‘Oh my goodness, how did we let this happen?’" said Rahim.

The governor has already tried to declare CAIR as a foreign terrorist organization, pointing out that they were once labeled an unindicted co-conspirator in a Texas terrorism case.

A judge has blocked his attempt to do so.

"We weren't just doing this. Just to do it. There's been a record built up over many, many years."

What's next:

This law takes effect on July 1, 2026.

Click here to read the bill.