Last Friday, Florida Governor Charlie Crist sat in a Boca synagogue and signed a bill which he says will help fight genocide in Sudan and terrorism in Iran. Crist also says Florida is the first state to pass legislation like this.

Crist signed a bill titled, “The Protecting Florida’s Investment Act,” which will prevent pension funds from being invested in the Sudanese government, who some say is responsible for 400,000 deaths and 2.5 million displaced in the western region of Darfur and Iran and who supports terrorism. The bill passed in May through the state legislating bodies unanimously.

Crist said Iran is the world’s “leading terrorist and we will not stand idly by,” but a majority of the day was spent talking about Darfur.

Ana Halper, a freshman and Vice President of FAU’s Amnesty International Chapter and intern for State Senator Ted Deutch, says Sudan makes money from foreign investments in oil and in Iran the investments go to terrorists fighting US troops, “which is kind of ironic.”

Deutch gave a speech prior to the signing in the Temple Beth El, where he stated, “We are standing firmly against the Genocide in Sudan… Genocide must be stopped.”

After the signing, Crist said he would send the legislation to the other 49 states and encourage them to sign it as well, “they need to understand the importance and not stand idly by.”

“The last of Florida’s investments will be out of rogue nations by the end of the year,” say Josef Palermo, a senior Pre-law student.