Good News on Florida Anchoring Legislation
This is good news regarding pending legislation on anchoring restrictions in Florida. Several boating organizations, like AGLCA and MTOA, have been very active in voicing support for less restrictive anchoring regulations. Thank you Kim Russo for this update.
I’m happy to report even more good news coming out of Florida!
The House bill passed on a full floor vote unanimously with zero amendments, so no anchoring restrictions unacceptable to our coalition were included. The bill is now ready to be sent over to the Senate.
The Senate Bill, which is identical to the House bill, passed on it’s third reading this morning also with zero amendments. This means that the Senate can now receive the House bill and take an identical vote. At that point, we will be done in the legislative branch.
Then, of course, it will go to the Governor. Our lobbyist expects that the governor will sign it. But, either way, he does not have the ability to amend it. Therefore, no setbacks or banned anchoring areas could be added. We prefer that he sign it because it includes the provision preempting local governments from making any local restrictions. Accordingly, we will lobby for him to sign it.
Kim Russo
Director
America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association
krusso@greatloop.org
Comments from Cruisers (3)
About time that legislators finally listened to the people! Marintime law should prevail.
Would it be possible to get the HB number and companion SB?
Looks like I’m going to be the bad guy here. Without taking anything away from the group that negotiated this on behalf of boaters, we are still left with the three locations in which anchoring was banned last year – Sunset Lake and Venetian Causeway in Miami Beach, and Middle River in Fort Lauderdale.
Do I need to point out that Frederick Karlton and Mark Gold, long time anti anchoring activists, live adjacent to the Miami Beach locations, or that the bill’s sponsor last year was George Moraitis, whose father lives on Middle River?
Gee – imagine that. WHAT a co-incidence. Funny how these things happen, isn’t it?
The problem this creates is that these three locations will create a precedent that future complainers will use to complain to legislators, who will use them to carve out still more ‘no anchoring’ zones. Count on it happening.
Contrary to what Kim has said here, this fight is far from over. Our next move MUST be to reclaim the three areas we’ve lost, before they are used against us.