A new study points at Florida for Islamophobia in the nation. The report was prepared by .
It looks at things like anti-Muslim groups, state laws and political rhetoric.
it calls the "U.S. Islamophobia Network." Three of those groups are based out of Florida.
鈥檚 Laila Abdelaziz says these are well-funded groups with an anti-Muslim message.
鈥淭here鈥檚 this institution that鈥檚 funded by hundreds of millions of dollars," she said. "That funnels this money through at least 74 organizations to spread misinformation, to spread fear and to intentionally create this idea or this concept that Islam, the Muslim world, Muslim-Americans and the West are mutually exclusive.鈥�
Abdelaziz said the report shows how the network鈥檚 agenda influences state legislatures. It highlights two Florida bills signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott.
, sponsored both pieces of legislation. One bill was a response to a controversy in Volusia County over a textbook accused of containing Muslim propaganda. The other bill banned the use of foreign laws for certain court cases.
Hays and the governor were not available for comment.
The report also says Florida had five mosque 鈥渋ncidents鈥� last year. That includes a man who left a voicemail threatening to firebomb the Islamic Center of St. Petersburg hours after the Paris terror attacks in November last year.
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