Florida Governor Signs Bill Overturning Key West Cruise Ship Restrictions
Published 14 hours ago
With the stroke of a pen, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has overturned Key West’s voter-approved limits on cruise ships.
In November 2020, voters in the southern tip of Florida approved three ballot questions that would restrict the number of daily cruise ship visitors to 1,500, ban vessels carrying more than 1,300 passengers, and prioritize docking for cruise lines with the best health and environmental records.
The referendum wasn’t close. Key West citizens voted 63 percent in favor of limiting daily cruise ship visitors to 1,500. About 60 percent said yes to prohibiting larger ships, and over 80 percent agreed that the best cruise line corporate citizens should get the first pick of docking assignments.
Nearly 100 Bills Passed In FL Legislature Remain In Limbo
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Nearly 100 Bills Passed In FL Legislature Remain In Limbo
wfsu.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from wfsu.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The state legislative effort to overturn Key Westâs voter-approved restrictions on cruise ships took a leap forward Wednesday when the Senate Transportation Committee approved a bill that would remove the cityâs ability to regulate its own harbor.
Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez, the freshman senator representing the Florida Keys, voted against the bill. However, she had earlier put forth an amendment that would have exempted Key West from the proposed Senate Bill 426 because the city is a State Area of Critical Concern. That designation allows special protections for the off-shore waters of Key West because of its delicate coral and fish ecosystems.