The Florida Senate passed two bills on Wednesday that replace all references in state statutes to the Gulf of Mexico with the “Gulf of America,” and those measures will now soon go to the governor’s office for his likely signature.
That’s despite the fact that public opinion polls consistently show that the name change isn’t popular with the public.
One measure (SB 1058), sponsored by Sarasota Republican Joe Gruters, requires state agencies to update geographical materials to reflect the new federal designation of the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.” Public school and charter school instructional materials and library center collections adopted or acquired on or after July 1 of this year must reflect the new federal designation.
The other proposal (HB 575) calls for all state and local references to the Gulf of Mexico to be changed to the “Gulf of America,” and was sponsored in the Senate by Pinellas County Republican Nick DiCeglie.
While Pinellas County Democrat Darryl Rouson make a joking reference when he asked whether DiCeglie would consider renaming the measure the “Gulf of Americas” that would include North America, South America, Central America, and actress America Ferrera, South Florida Democrat Lori Berman didn’t think it was a laughing matter at all.
She called the legislation a “waste of time,” saying that it “would not improve the lives of our constituents, nor will it advance our state’s economic, educational, or environmental policies.”
“We are spending taxpayer dollars and legislative time on a symbolic gesture, and offers no tangible benefits,” she said. “We are prioritizing a superficial display of nationalism over the pressing needs of the district we represent.”
DiCeglie responded by calling it a “patriotic bill,” and a nod to American exceptionalism.
The passage of these two bills follow President Donald Trump’s an executive order in February replacing all federal references to the “Gulf of Mexico” with the “Gulf of America.”
A Fox News survey of nearly 1,000 voters conducted last month showed that 67% opposed renaming the body of water located on the southeastern periphery of the North American continent. Other polls similarly show that the name change isn’t popular.
A majority of Florida respondents — 58% — said that they also oppose the idea strongly or somewhat, and only 31% expressed support for the renaming, according to a public opinion survey of 871 registered voters from the University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab conducted in February.
DeSantis began using the term “Gulf of America” going back to an executive order he signed back in January.
Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com.
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jimandlope
While Rome burns this is what we get? Jim Tierney
Friday, April 11 Report this
elizabeth.brown.cpa
Florida and it's governor prove daily that insignificant signaling is a substitute for serving the public they pledged to serve. We are represented by lunatics, here and in DC
Friday, April 11 Report this
Debann
IT WILL ALWAYS BE THE GULF OF MEXICO....PATHETIC IDIOTS
Friday, April 11 Report this
klmsinc
In this day and time when we have so many legal challenges as to what to call a male or a female, maybe this has to do with ownership of the waters that come on the shores of the Unted States of America!
This could be so we can "Drill baby drill"
Saturday, April 12 Report this