Florida House Passes Bill Allowing Designation of Domestic Terrorist Groups

Legislation gives state officials broad powers to label organizations as terrorists, raising concerns about lack of oversight and potential for abuse.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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The Florida House has approved a bill that would allow a handful of state officials, including the governor and Cabinet, to designate domestic or foreign groups as terrorist organizations. The measure, sponsored by Republican Rep. Hillary Cassel, has drawn criticism from Democrats who argue it lacks sufficient guardrails and oversight to prevent potential abuse.

Why it matters

This legislation represents a significant expansion of state power, granting a small group of officials the authority to label organizations as terrorists without requiring legislative approval or independent judicial review. Critics warn this could lead to the targeting of advocacy groups, religious institutions, and other entities based on political ideology rather than clear evidence of terrorist activities.

The details

Under the bill, the state's chief of domestic security could recommend designating a group as a domestic terrorist organization if it is based in the U.S., engaged in activities defined as terrorist under state law, and poses an ongoing threat to Florida or the U.S. That recommendation would then need approval from the governor and Cabinet. Designated groups would have 30 days to challenge the decision in court. The measure also prohibits schools affiliated with designated terrorist organizations from receiving school choice scholarship funds, raising concerns about potential discrimination against Muslim institutions.

  • The bill was approved by the GOP-controlled Florida House on March 4, 2026.
  • The Senate companion bill, SB 1632, is expected to be voted on later this week.

The players

Rep. Hillary Cassel

The Republican sponsor of the bill, HB 1471.

Mark Glass

The head of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the state's chief of domestic security.

Gov. Ron DeSantis

The Florida governor, who would be part of the approval process for designating terrorist organizations.

Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Florida

A Muslim advocacy group that has filed a lawsuit challenging the governor's previous designation of the organization as a 'terrorist organization'.

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What they’re saying

“This bill confronts a reality that cannot be ignored. Terrorism does not become less dangerous because it is homegrown. Nations do not collapse only from invasion, they can unravel from complacency.”

— Rep. Hillary Cassel, Bill Sponsor (orlandoweekly.com)

“There is no requirement for legislative approval. There is no independent judicial finding before the designation takes effect. There is no built-in meaningful oversight mechanism to ensure transparency or review.”

— Rep. Rita Harris, Democratic Representative (orlandoweekly.com)

“Does the governor and his Cabinet have the ability to designate NOW [the National Organization for Women] or Planned Parenthood as a domestic terrorist organization? Many would characterize them as a danger to unborn fetuses.”

— Rep. Robin Bartleman, Democratic Representative (orlandoweekly.com)

What’s next

The Senate companion bill, SB 1632, is expected to be voted on later this week. If approved, the measure will then head to Gov. DeSantis' desk for consideration.

The takeaway

This legislation represents a concerning expansion of state power that could lead to the targeting of advocacy groups, religious institutions, and other entities based on political ideology rather than clear evidence of terrorist activities. The lack of robust oversight and judicial review raises serious questions about the potential for abuse and the erosion of civil liberties.