DeSantis signs bill to allow designate domestic terrorist organizations

On Monday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill that enables the state to classify certain groups as “domestic terrorist organizations,”

Ron DeSantis Florida Governor and Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis speaks during a press conference at the Celebrate Freedom Foundation Hangar in West Columbia, S.C. July 18, 2023. For DeSantis, Tuesday was supposed to mark a major moment to help reset his stagnant Republican presidential campaign. But yet again, the moment was overshadowed by Donald Trump. The former president was the overwhelming focus for much of the day as DeSantis spoke out at a press conference and sat for a highly anticipated interview designed to reassure anxious donors and primary voters that he's still well-positioned to defeat Trump.(AP Photo/Sean Rayford) (Sean Rayford/AP)

By Jake Jordan

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — On Monday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill that enables the state to classify certain groups as “domestic terrorist organizations,” thereby broadening its authority over security classifications.

The legislation backs an executive order from DeSantis in December that designated two Islamic groups—CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood—as terrorist organizations.

Effective from July 1, the new law also prohibits courts and other adjudicatory bodies from enforcing foreign or religious legal provisions, explicitly mentioning Islamic law, also known as Sharia.

Another provision gives Florida’s Chief of Domestic Security, currently Mark Glass, the power to designate both domestic and foreign terrorist organizations. Such designations must be approved by the governor and the state Cabinet.

DeSantis enacted the bill at an event held at the University of South Florida’s Gibbons Alumni Center in Tampa, calling it a major step in safeguarding Floridians.

“The legislation we’ll sign today is the strongest action Florida has ever taken to protect its people from this influence,” DeSantis said. “And obviously, it spans finance, it spans political, it spans culture.”

The bill, called HB 1471, was introduced to back the governor’s earlier executive action. No further details were provided at this time.

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