Florida Lawmakers Block Local Cruise Ship Ban On Key West
State lawmakers are pushing to strip local governments of their power to issue referendums restricting the flow of people and goods in Florida’s ports and terminals.
By Michael McGrady, Maritime Direct Americas & Pacific Correspondent
TALLAHASSEE — Lawmakers in the US state of Florida have advanced legislation to strip local governments of their right to regulate commerce, the size of vessels, and the types of vessels that call on nearby ports.
Sen. Jim Boyd, a Republican lawmaker representing the conservative city of Bradenton, Fla., along the southwest coast of the state, introduced the proposal.
If it becomes law, the legislation would cover all 15 seaports located in Florida in some form or another.
Lawmakers in the state capital city of Tallahassee, south of the Florida-Georgia state line, have taken up this bill because of a recent referendum in Key West, Fla.
Key West, the popular tourist island city in the Florida Key archipelago, asked its citizens to vote in the November 2020 election to restrict cruise ships’ size and the number of people landing at the Port of Key West.
The bill in question would be retroactive, too. That means that the state government can repeal the referendum at the behest of the cruise industry and take direct regulatory control of seaports.
As mentioned, the proposed legislation prevents local governments (cities, towns, and counties) from issuing regulations about vessels, vessel types, vessel sizes, passengers’ nationality, the origins of the vessel and crew, and the type of cargo.
For reference, the voters in the Key West referendum voted overwhelmingly in favor of cruise disembarkation limitations.
63.33 percent voted in favor of limiting cruise guests to the city to only 1,500 per day.
60.69 percent voted in favor of prohibiting cruise ships carrying at least 1,300 guests or more.
Plus, a whopping 81.20 percent voted in favor of only giving berthing priority to cruise liners with the best environmental records.
The city of Key West has less than 25,000 residents. The Maritime Executive reports that the current form of the bill is a compromise.
That compromise is limited to blocking local regulations at city-ran ports in Key West and other cities like Panama City or Pensacola.
Special interest organizations and other Republicans withdrew their opposition in support of the bill.
A subcommittee dealing with tourism and transportation voted 12 to 6 to approve the revised proposal.
Rep. Spencer Roach, a Republican from Ft. Myers, is the House bill sponsor while Sen. Boyd serves as the primary in the Senate.
“If you don’t pass this bill and you allow individual municipalities to suddenly close their ports to any type, size, or nationality of people that they deem fit, you’re going to abrogate a lot of contracts,” said Roach.
