The state of Florida’s House Commerce Committee has voted 13-5 to back House Bill 267, which would prohibit the citizens of Key West from restricting the number of cruise ships to enter their ports.
Key West residents voted in November to limit maritime activity in their port based on the size, type or capacity of ships in the hopes of reducing the number of tourists who visit the island.
Now the state of Florida is looking to overturn that vote.
According to the newspaper Keys Weekly, the bill has already passed three state senate committees.
During the most recent debate, the bill’s sponsors, Rep. Spencer Roach of the Fort Myers area and Rep. Tyler Sirois of Merritt Island, said the creators of Key West’s local referendum “are engaging in economic elitism in an attempt to remake Key West in the mold of Martha’s Vineyard,” adding that the Key West Committee for Safer Cleaner Ships is trying to cherry-pick the type and wealth of tourists who visit Key West.
State Rep. Bob Rommel, a Republican who represents part of Collier County, said, “It sounds like Key West is trying to discriminate against a certain type of tourist.”
But many Democrats say this move goes against the very nature of a vote and that it’s hard to justify trying to overturn it.
“Is it the position of the bill’s sponsors that local government should not be able to decide how much is too much in their own backyard in terms of tourism and cruise ships?” Rep. Joe Gelle, Democrat of Aventura, asked.
The bill’s next House committee hearing is still to be determined.
