foreign surrogacy – DeSantis signed HB 905, voiding surrogacy contracts tied to certain countries and tightening rules on foreign influence in Florida.
Florida has moved to restrict surrogacy arrangements tied to so-called “foreign countries of concern,” with Gov. Ron DeSantis signing a bill that would make those contracts void under state law.
DeSantis signed HB 905 on Wednesday, a measure advanced late in the 2026 legislative session and set to take effect July 1.. The law bars gestational surrogacy contracts involving nationals from a specified list of countries. including China. Russia. Iran. North Korea. Venezuela and Syria.. Under the new provisions. any contract executed in violation of the rule would be “void and unenforceable. ” effectively removing the ability to enforce those agreements in Florida courts.
This effort is tightly linked to DeSantis’s broader push to treat immigration, foreign influence and national security as intertwined issues, a framing that continues to shape Republican priorities in the state.
At a news conference in Miami. DeSantis described the policy as a response to what he called exploitative surrogacy practices tied to foreign governments and pursued citizenship outcomes.. He argued that people seeking to enter the United States temporarily for the purpose of giving birth. then returning to their home countries. raise legal and security concerns.
The bill also contains additional measures aimed at reducing foreign government influence within Florida’s public sector.. It strengthens ethics-related rules by limiting how public officials and certain government-adjacent actors can engage with entities representing foreign countries of concern or foreign terrorist organizations.. The law also imposes enhanced penalties on those who violate the restrictions and requires repayment of financial benefits received.
Beyond ethics enforcement. HB 905 directs Florida’s Commission on Ethics to update training for public officials. expanding coursework to address foreign influence.. It also bars state agencies. local governments and publicly funded schools from entering agreements or accepting grants from foreign countries of concern or from entities controlled by them.. In other words. the legislation does not limit itself to the narrow question of surrogacy contracts. but extends to how public institutions partner with outside actors.
For local governments, the law adds another enforcement tool.. It allows certain officials to revoke business tax receipts for businesses operating in Cuba in ways that conflict with federal law. a provision DeSantis said is designed to create accountability for false declarations tied to Cuban business activity.
The political significance of the bill extends beyond Florida’s borders because it reinforces a national debate over the reach of state power in policing immigration-related outcomes and deterring foreign influence—issues that frequently land in courts and shape the next cycle of election-year messaging.