MIAMI, Fla. – In a significant legislative move on Friday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis enacted a new law poised to make substantial changes in the state’s governance. The legislation, known as HB 905, is designed to curtail the sway of certain foreign nations labeled as “foreign countries of concern” (FCOCs), such as Iran, North Korea, Cuba, China, and Russia.
This new law introduces several key provisions aimed at reducing foreign influence. Firstly, it mandates that public officers and employees must reimburse double the amount of any benefit received from these so-called FCOCs or from designated foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs). This measure is intended to ensure transparency and loyalty to domestic interests.
Furthermore, the legislation imposes restrictions on charitable organizations, barring them from accepting donations from countries identified as FCOCs. This move seeks to prevent foreign entities from leveraging charitable contributions to exert influence within the state.
Lastly, HB 905 enhances the scope of ethics training for public officials. The expanded training specifically focuses on recognizing foreign influence campaigns, with a particular emphasis on strategies employed by the Chinese Communist Party’s “United Front” approach. This aspect of the law aims to bolster the state’s defense against covert foreign interference.
Charities: Prohibits charitable organizations from accepting contributions from FCOCS
Ethics Training: Expands ethics training to help identify foreign influence campaigns, particularly tactics associated with the Chinese Communist Party’s “United Front” strategy
Cuban Business: Allows local governments and tax collectors to revoke business tax receipts from those who do business with Cuba in violation of federal law
Governor Powers: Allows the governor to temporarily suspend statutes and rules restricting interactions with Cuba if the federal government changes Cuba’s diplomatic status
Adoption Agreements: Prohibits preplanned adoption agreements and gestational surrogacy contracts if a party is a citizen or resident of a FCOC
Enhanced Penalties: Establishes harsher penalties for crimes committed to benefit FCOCs or FTOs
“Today, I signed the Foreign Interference Restriction and Enforcement Act to strengthen Florida’s defenses against foreign adversaries,” DeSantis said. “This legislation combats hostile foreign influence in Florida by establishing new restrictions on agreements and partnerships involving countries of concern such as Iran and Cuba, as well as penalties for violations. The bill also strengthens ethics and disclosure requirements for elected officials and government employees, because public officials should be serving Floridians—not foreign adversaries.”
The law is set to take effect on July 1.
Meanwhile, you can find a full list of laws approved so far in 2026 by clicking here.
