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HB 1471 Was Just Signed Into Law and Has Devastating Free Speech Implications [1]

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Date: 2026-04-06  

Today, Governor DeSantis signed HB 1471 into law : a bill that hands the executive branch broad sweeping new authority to label organizations as “domestic terrorist organizations,” that comes with penalties that reach far beyond anything tied to real public safety.



This law doesn’t make Floridians safer. It just creates a pathway for political targeting, censorship, and punishment of students, nonprofits, and community groups - including the power to dissolve organizations, criminalize association, and strip students of fee waivers or access to public institution funds based on vague, subjective criteria. The criteria is vague that students, nonprofits, advocacy groups, and everyday Floridians could find themselves targeted for simply speaking up or organizing in their communities.



And for our district, IT MATTERS that my opponent in this race, Rep. Chad Johnson, voted for this bill. That’s public record. Voters deserve to know where their representatives stand when it comes to civil liberties, government overreach, and the right of everyday people to organize without fear of retaliation. For many of the reasons that other Representatives stated for the record (see photos), I would have voted NO on this bill.



This isn't - and shouldn't be- a partisan issue. Government overreach doesn't check party registration before it harms people. Silencing dissent doesn't fall neatly along party or ideological lines. The chilling effect of this law will touch folks across the political spectrum, including many who have never considered themselves political at all.



Floridians deserve a government that protects civil liberties, not one that expands its power to punish people that disagree or speak, or for association or expression. We deserve a democracy where community groups, student organizations, and local leaders can do their work without fear of retaliation.



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