Simpson, lawmakers push bill preventing charities from accepting donations from foreign enemies

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson and Republican lawmakers are pushing legislation barring any “foreign country of concern” from donating or contributing to charities in Florida.

The bill defines “foreign country of concern” as the People’s Republic of China, the Russian Federation, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Republic of Cuba, the Venezuelan regime of Nicolas Maduro, or the Syrian Arab Republic.

The legislation, HB 1327 in the House and SB 1458 in the Senate, seeks to enforce the regulation by requiring the Division of Consumer Services create an Honest Services Registry.

According to the bill’s analysis, this will hold the organizations accountable by preventing their ability to receive contributions or be influenced by the foreign interests of concern.

The Senate version of the bill is sponsored by Sen. Keith Perry, R-Gainesville, while the House companion was introduced by Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, R-Fort Myers.

“With our foreign enemies increasingly emboldened to influence and undermine our state and nation, Florida is stepping up to do all we can to protect ourselves,” Simpson told Florida’s Voice.

Simpson said last year he worked with the Florida legislature to “ban the sale of agriculture land and property around critical military instillations to enemies of the United States.”

“Our goal was simple, we cannot allow foreign investors associated with the sworn enemies United States to take up residency on land that is so critical to our national security,” he continued. “This year, we’re continuing our efforts to protect our state and national security with the Foreign Interference Protection Act, which will prohibit charitable and social welfare organizations from accepting resources from foreign countries of concern.”

Simpson vowed not to “stand idly by” and watch America’s sworn enemies “funnel money” through domestic charities with a goal of funding litigation and “deceptive propaganda” to influence state and local government policies.

“The Foreign Interference Protection Act will help close this loophole in Florida law and will ultimately make Florida a safer and more prosperous state,” Simpson finished.

Persons-Mulicka spoke in favor of the bill while it passed through the House Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform and Economic Development on Feb 1.

“Our way of life is under constant threat from foreign enemies,” Persons-Mulicka said. “And today we are seeing full scale war being replaced by more subtle attacks.”

“We have reports of the Chinese Communist Party launching spy balloons, constructing secret police stations, using cyber weapons to gather intel across America and buying up certain land in our country,” she said.

The representative commented on the work that the legislature did during the previous session when they were able to pass legislation banning the Chinese government from buying Florida farmland.

“We cannot allow America’s enemies to take advantage of our open society to manipulate policy at the state and local level,” she said.

Rep. Ashley Gantt, D-Miami, expressed first amendment concerns with the bill when it came to donors and their privacy rights.

Persons-Mulicka reassured the panel that the bill does not force disclosure of names associated with donations. It simply relates to closely connected government interests connected with foreign countries of concern.

The next stop for the House bill will be for review and approval by the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee. The Senate version has not been placed on the agenda of any of its potential committees yet.