Florida lawmakers to return to Capitol to impose new sanctions on Iran

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida lawmakers will return for a special session to impose additional sanctions against Iran, express support for Israel and provide additional security to protect Jewish institutions in Florida, House and Senate leaders announced Friday.

The session will also take up issues like hurricane relief, property insurance and providing more money for special needs students. Presidential candidate and Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis supports brining lawmakers back to the Capitol to address the issues rather than wait for the January start of the annual session.

“Following the horrific atrocities committed by Iranian-backed terrorist group Hamas against Israel, I am calling on the Florida Legislature to act swiftly to ensure our state does not send a penny to the Iranian terror state,” DeSantis said in a news release.

The four-day session will begin Nov. 6.

The special session was called because Iran supports Hamas militants who attacked Israel two weeks ago, though no government worldwide has offered direct evidence supporting that Iran orchestrated the attack.

Florida already has sanctions against companies that directly do business with Iran and six other “countries of concern,” including Cuba, China and Russia. The U.S. federal government has imposed sanctions against Iran for decades.

The announcement comes after DeSantis made efforts to bring Floridians home from Israel, declared a state of emergency and sent airplanes loaded with supplies for the country.