Common Cause has called on the Florida Legislature to halt legislative efforts that it says threaten Floridians’ First Amendment rights. This follows a court decision granting a preliminary injunction against an executive order from the governor that labeled certain groups as “domestic terrorists.” The court’s order stated that the governor’s action prioritized “political posturing over the First Amendment.”
Despite this judicial intervention, the Florida Senate approved House Bill 1471, which would allow the state’s Executive Branch to designate organizations as “domestic terrorists.” The bill now returns to the House for further consideration.
Amy Keith, Executive Director of Common Cause Florida, said, “The First Amendment protects the right to disagree with the government and every Florida lawmaker should work to protect that freedom. This bill would give extraordinary power to the Governor and Cabinet to secretly declare organizations they disagree with as ‘domestic terrorists,’ violating Floridians’ rights to free speech and free association. This bill is a facade of a process that fails to put any real guardrails on the Governor’s political posturing. HB 1471 is un-American and needs to die immediately.”
Common Cause Florida operates throughout all 67 counties in Florida and works on issues related to civil rights, civil liberties, and inclusive governance for residents across the state. The organization consists of thousands of members who participate in advocacy efforts statewide. Its nonpartisan initiatives focus on government transparency, voter access, accountability, and democratic reforms such as automatic voter registration and fair redistricting. These efforts are supported by collaborations with election officials and other advocates. More information about their work can be found at their official website.
