Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Signs Law Enabling State to Designate Terrorist Organizations

Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 1471 into law on Monday, April 6, 2026, granting the state of Florida the authority to officially designate both domestic and foreign terrorist organizations. The legislation, signed during a news conference at the USF Gibbons Alumni Center in Tampa, establishes a statutory framework for the governor and the state Cabinet to identify and penalize groups deemed threats to security.

How House Bill 1471 Works

The new law creates a specific process for designating terrorist organizations. A top official at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) is tasked with designating a group as a domestic or foreign terrorist organization. This designation must then be approved or rejected by the governor and three other members of the Florida Cabinet: the state attorney general, the chief financial officer, and the agriculture commissioner.

Once a group is officially designated as a terrorist organization, the law allows for the group to be dissolved. These organizations are prohibited from receiving any state funding through state agencies or school districts.

Impact on Education and Immigration

HB 1471 introduces significant restrictions on educational funding and student status within the state:

• Scholarship Restrictions: The legislation prohibits the allocation of scholarship funds to any school that maintains affiliations with a designated domestic or foreign terrorist organization.
• University Expulsions: State universities are empowered to expel students who support designated terrorist organizations.
• ICE Reporting: Universities must report the status of expelled students who are attending on visas to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

During the signing, Governor DeSantis emphasized that taxpayer money should not support educational institutions associated with such organizations. He also stated that individuals convicted of providing material support to terrorism should be denaturalized and deported.

Legal Framework and Controversies

The legislation targets specific legal frameworks and follows previous executive actions by the governor. HB 1471 prohibits the use of frameworks such as Sharia Law in Florida courts.

This law provides a statutory structure for actions DeSantis took in December, when he issued an executive order designating the Muslim Brotherhood and the Florida Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-FL) as foreign terrorist organizations. That executive order faced immediate legal challenges; CAIR-FL filed a lawsuit calling the move unconstitutional and defamatory. Last month, a federal judge temporarily blocked the enforcement of that executive order.

Key Takeaways of HB 1471

• Designation Power: Gives the governor and Florida Cabinet the authority to label groups as domestic or foreign terrorist organizations.
• Financial Penalties: Cuts off state funding and scholarships for affiliated organizations and schools.
• Immigration Consequences: Requires universities to report expelled visa-holding students to ICE.
• Legal Restrictions: Prohibits the use of Sharia Law in state courts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is involved in the designation process?

The process begins with a top official at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). The final decision to approve or reject the designation rests with the governor and the state Cabinet, which includes the attorney general, the chief financial officer, and the agriculture commissioner.

What happens to students who support designated groups?

Under the new law, state university students who support designated terrorist organizations can be expelled. If those students are in the U.S. On visas, the university is required to report their status to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Does this law affect existing executive orders?

Yes. Governor DeSantis stated that HB 1471 provides the statutory structure for previous actions taken via executive order, specifically regarding the designation of foreign terrorist organizations.