Florida Senate - 2025 CS for CS for SB 766
By the Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and
Economic Development; the Committee on Ethics and Elections; and
Senator Burgess
606-03454-25 2025766c2
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the registration of agents and
3 organizations associated with foreign countries of
4 concern; creating s. 106.031, F.S.; defining terms;
5 requiring agents of foreign countries of concern and
6 foreign-supported political organizations to register
7 with the Division of Elections within a specified
8 timeframe; requiring the registration of an agent of a
9 foreign country of concern be signed under oath;
10 requiring the division to create registration forms;
11 providing requirements for such forms; requiring
12 periodic updates by agents and organizations;
13 providing penalties for violations; providing an
14 effective date.
15
16 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
17
18 Section 1. Section 106.031, Florida Statutes, is created to
19 read:
20 106.031 Registration of agents and organizations associated
21 with foreign nations.—
22 (1) For purposes of this section, the term:
23 (a) “Address” includes any address, no matter where
24 located, inside or outside of the United States.
25 (b) “Agent of a foreign country of concern” means a person:
26 1. Who acts as an agent, an employee, a representative, or
27 a servant, or who otherwise acts at the order, at the request,
28 or under the direction or control, of a foreign country of
29 concern;
30 2. Whose actions are financed, in whole or in part, by a
31 foreign country of concern; and
32 3. Who engages in political activity.
33 (c) “Foreign country of concern” has the same meaning as in
34 s. 288.860.
35 (d) “Foreign-supported political organization” means a
36 political party or a domestic partnership, an association, a
37 corporation, an organization, or any other business entity that:
38 1. Has its principal place of business in a foreign country
39 of concern; or
40 2. Is at least 20 percent beneficially owned by a foreign
41 country of concern, a nonresident alien from a foreign country
42 of concern, or an entity organized under the laws of or having
43 its principal place of business in a foreign country of concern.
44 (e) “Payment” includes compensation and disbursement made
45 in any form, including, but not limited to, contributions,
46 income, money, tangible property, and intangible property.
47 (f) “Political activity” means an activity that is
48 performed to:
49 1. Influence an agency, a public official, or a local
50 governmental entity;
51 2. Influence the public in creating, adopting, or changing
52 state laws or government policies;
53 3. Support or oppose a candidate for office;
54 4. Influence the outcome of an election; or
55 5. Support or oppose any issue.
56 (2)(a) A person who becomes an agent of a foreign country
57 of concern must, within 10 days after becoming such an agent,
58 register with the division. The registration must be signed
59 under oath.
60 (b) The division shall create a form for the registration
61 required under paragraph (a). Such form must, at a minimum,
62 require the following information:
63 1. The registrant’s name.
64 2. The address of the registrant’s primary residence and
65 all other addresses associated with the registrant.
66 3. The name and address of the registrant’s principal place
67 of business.
68 4. A detailed statement describing the nature of the
69 registrant’s business.
70 5. The name of each foreign country of concern for whom the
71 registrant is acting, assuming or purporting to act, or has
72 agreed to act.
73 6. A detailed statement describing the nature of the work
74 and the character of the business or other activities of each
75 foreign country of concern identified in subparagraph 5.
76 7. A statement detailing each time the registrant received
77 a payment from a foreign country of concern identified in
78 subparagraph 5. within the previous 60 days. The statement must
79 identify the amount of the payment and the nature of such
80 payment.
81 8. The total amount of such payments the registrant has
82 received within the previous 60 days from a foreign country of
83 concern identified in subparagraph 5.
84 9. A detailed statement of every activity the registrant,
85 or a person on behalf of the registrant, is performing, has
86 performed, or has agreed to perform on behalf of a foreign
87 country of concern identified in subparagraph 5.
88 10. If the registrant is also engaged in political activity
89 on behalf of a person who is not associated with a foreign
90 country of concern but who is an agent of a foreign country of
91 concern, the registrant must include the following information:
92 a. The name, employer, business and residence addresses,
93 and, if applicable, nationality of such person.
94 b. A detailed statement of all activities the registrant,
95 or a person on behalf of the registrant, is performing, has
96 performed, or has agreed to perform on behalf of such person.
97 c. A statement detailing each time the registrant received
98 a payment from such person within the previous 60 days. The
99 statement must identify the amount of the payment and the nature
100 of such payment.
101 11. A detailed statement of the payments made by the
102 registrant during the previous 60 days in connection with
103 actions taken by the registrant as an agent of, on behalf of, or
104 in furtherance of the goals of a foreign country of concern or a
105 person identified in subparagraph 10.
106 12. A detailed statement of any payments made by the
107 registrant during the previous 60 days related to any political
108 activity.
109 (c) A registrant must update the information required by
110 paragraph (b) at least every 90 days.
111 (d) A person must file as an agent of a foreign country of
112 concern for any period of time he or she was engaged in such
113 position.
114 (3)(a) On or before January 1, 2026, each foreign-supported
115 political organization must register with the division.
116 (b) The division shall create a form for the registration
117 required under paragraph (a). Such form must, at a minimum,
118 require the following information:
119 1. The organization’s name and mailing address and the
120 address of any physical office.
121 2. The names and titles of all officers or directors of the
122 organization.
123 3. The address of each person identified in subparagraph 2.
124 4. A detailed statement of any payment made by the
125 organization that would constitute political activity during the
126 previous calendar year.
127 5. A detailed statement of any payment made to, or received
128 by, the organization from a foreign country of concern or an
129 agent of a foreign country of concern during the preceding
130 calendar year.
131 (c) An organization must update the information required by
132 paragraph (b) at least every 90 days.
133 (4) Upon a finding by the Florida Elections Commission of a
134 violation of this section, in addition to the remedies provided
135 in ss. 106.265 and 106.27, an organization from a foreign
136 country of concern or an agent of a foreign country of concern
137 may be liable for the following penalties:
138 (a) For any violation, a fine of up to $500 per violation.
139 (b) For any willful or repeated violation, a fine of up to
140 $2,000 per violation.
141 (c) For any willful or repeated violation in which the
142 foreign country of concern is a hostile foreign country of
143 concern, a fine of up to $10,000 per violation and a temporary
144 or permanent ban from future registration.
145 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.