Florida Gov. DeSantis Signs Bill on Terrorist Designations, Sharia Ban

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 1471 into law on April 6, 2026, in Tampa, granting state officials the authority to designate groups as domestic or foreign terrorist organizations and prohibiting Florida courts from enforcing foreign or religious laws, such as Sharia, that conflict with the U.S. or state constitutions.

The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Hillary Cassel, R-Dania Beach, empowers the chief of domestic security at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to propose designations. These proposals require approval from DeSantis and the three other elected members of the Florida Cabinet: the attorney general, chief financial officer, and agriculture commissioner. Once approved, designated organizations face dissolution and lose access to state funding through schools or agencies. Florida universities must expel students who support such groups and report international students on visas to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The law also bars courts from applying legal codes like Sharia, which governs aspects of Muslim personal and religious life including marriage, inheritance, and criminal punishments, if they undermine constitutional rights. It...