TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (April 9, 2026) – Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 1471 into law on April 6, enacting sweeping restrictions that prohibit Florida state courts from recognizing or enforcing foreign or religious legal codes—including Sharia—when they conflict with U.S. or Florida constitutional rights.
The measure also empowers state officials to designate certain organizations as domestic terrorists and bars public funds, including school vouchers, from flowing to any group with ties to terrorism.
The legislation targets what supporters describe as growing concerns over foreign influence in public institutions, particularly schools reportedly linked to organizations such as the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Muslim Brotherhood. Under the new law, any entity determined to have connections to designated terrorist groups will be ineligible for taxpayer support.
In a separate statement following the signing, DeSantis called for an additional statewide ban on first-cousin marriages, describing the practice as “antithetical to American values and incompatible with the principles of a free society.”
“Florida will not allow foreign laws or ideologies that undermine our Constitution to take root here,” DeSantis said in remarks tied to the bill’s passage. “We’re protecting our kids, our courts, and our tax dollars from radical influences.”
Critics, including CAIR-Florida, immediately condemned the bill as “draconian” and an attack on religious freedom.
“This legislation singles out one faith and one community, creating a dangerous precedent that threatens the constitutional rights of all Floridians,” said a CAIR-Florida spokesperson. “It weaponizes the label of ‘terrorism’ to silence legitimate religious and educational organizations.”
House Bill 1471 passed the Florida Legislature along largely partisan lines earlier this month. Proponents argue it safeguards American legal supremacy and prevents public money from indirectly supporting extremism. Opponents maintain it violates the First Amendment and unfairly stigmatizes Muslim communities.
The law takes effect immediately upon signing. State agencies have been directed to begin reviewing funding recipients for compliance within the coming weeks.
No legal challenges have been filed as of this writing, though civil liberties groups have signaled they are reviewing the bill for potential court action.
