Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Monday signed a sweeping new bill into law that expands the state’s authority to designate domestic terrorist organizations and imposes new penalties on groups and individuals—particularly on college campuses—accused of supporting them.
The legislation, HB 1471, takes effect July 1 and grants Florida’s executive branch broad new powers over how such designations are made and enforced. Under the law, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s chief of domestic security can recommend that a group be labeled a domestic terrorist organization. The final decision rests with the governor and his Cabinet, who can approve or reject the designation within seven days of receiving a formal recommendation.
“To uphold the rule of law, our state must operate under one legal system, the Constitution must remain the law of the land, and we must defend our institutions from those who would harm us—especially terrorist organizations that seek to infiltrate and subvert our education system,” DeSantis said in a Monday press release. “HB 1471 reinforces these principles in Florida, and I was proud to sign it into law today.”
Once approved, the designation must be published in the Florida Administrative Register, triggering a series of consequences. Groups labeled as domestic terrorist organizations would be barred from receiving public funding or support, and individuals who provide what the law defines as “material support” could face criminal penalties.
A central focus of the law is Florida’s public university system. Student organizations tied to designated groups could be dissolved or stripped of funding. In addition, universities are required to expel students accused of promoting such organizations and to report the visa status of affected students—raising particular concerns for international students.
Supporters of the bill argue it is a necessary response to evolving security threats and reflects a broader effort by the state to take a more aggressive stance against extremism. The measure follows a series of actions by DeSantis aimed at countering what his administration describes as growing risks from both foreign and domestic groups.
However, the policy also arrives amid ongoing legal and constitutional disputes. At the end of last year, DeSantis signed an executive order designating the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organizations. That move was quickly challenged in court.
CAIR’s Florida chapter argued the designation violated First Amendment protections, particularly for students and advocacy groups. In March, U.S. District Judge Mark Walker issued a preliminary injunction blocking the order.
“The First Amendment bars the Governor from continuing the troubling trend of using an effective office to make a political statement at the expense of others’ constitutional rights,” Walker wrote in his ruling.
Civil liberties advocates have raised similar concerns about HB 1471, warning that its broad language—especially around “promotion” or “support”—could be used to penalize speech or association rather than criminal conduct. Legal experts note that the law’s implementation will likely face scrutiny in the courts, particularly regarding due process and free speech protections.
As Florida moves to enforce the new statute, the tension between state-level security measures and constitutional rights is expected to remain at the center of the debate, especially within the state’s higher education system.
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