Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill to combat terrorist groups by creating a state-level process for designating groups as domestic or foreign terrorist organizations while speaking at a press conference in Tampa today.
"The legislation [that] we'll sign today is the strongest action Florida has ever taken to protect its people from this [jihad] influence," DeSantis said. "It spans finance, it spans political, it spans culture, and then, of course, it can be over acts like we've seen in Old Dominion and other places around the country."
Gov. DeSantis's remarks come after a former Virginia Army National Guard member and convicted ISIS supporter opened fire at Old Dominion University, killing one.
In addition, the bill (HB 1471) bans students promoting domestic terrorist organizations or foreign terrorist organizations from obtaining public education funds.
"This will help the state of Florida protect you. It'll help us protect your tax dollars. It'll help us protect things that should not be happening in the United States of America, but certainly shouldn't be happening in the Free State of Florida," DeSantis added.
The bill also prohibits the use of Shari'a law in state courts. Shari'a law is a framework of religious, ethical, and moral principles that guide the lives of Muslims, including criminal justice, personal conduct matters, and prayer requirements.
Rep. Hillary Cassell (R-Dania Beach) sponsored the bill in the House. Sen. Erin Grall (R-Fort Pierce) championed a similar bill in the Senate.
Gov. DeSantis's signature follows the governor's executive order designating the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), which has since been issued a temporary injunction by a federal judge.
Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and Rep. Jeff Holcomb (R-Spring Hill), a cosponsor of the bill, were also present at the signing.
"In these United States of America, we have just one set of laws, one Constitution. No other law should be recognized or supersede our laws or be allowed to conflict with our Constitution," Collins said.
The bill will take effect on July 1, 2026, although legal challenges could be forthcoming.
"The larger issue is we have got to stop, as a country, importing people that reject the values of this country, and that's just been going on for a long time," DeSantis commented. "Why should we be having to referee some of the stuff that ends up happening?
