Days after President Donald Trump signed an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, Florida Republicans are proposing legislation to do the same in their state.
St. Petersburg Republican Sen. Nick DiCeglie filed a 70-page bill Tuesday to update all references to the body of water in Florida law.
The Legislature will consider DiCeglie’s proposal next month after session begins. If passed, 50 Florida statutes, including boundary line definitions for 11 coastal counties would be affected.
Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, issued a statement expressing support for the bill.
Also Tuesday, state Rep. Juan Carlos Porras, R-Miami, filed a bill (HB 549) that would require state agencies to update geographic materials to reflect the Gulf of America. The measure also would require school boards to buy instructional materials and library materials with the new name.
If passed, the laws would go into effect July 1.
Before his Jan. 20 inauguration, Trump announced plans to change the Gulf of Mexico’s name and signed an executive order Sunday to do so as he traveled over the Gulf in Air Force One.
Afterward, Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an order about a winter storm thats referred to an “area of low pressure moving across the Gulf of America.”
This week, Google Maps began using “Gulf of America," saying it had a “longstanding practice” of following the U.S. government’s lead on such matters. The other leading online map provider, Apple Maps, was still using “Gulf of Mexico.”
Also Tuesday, the White House blocked an Associated Press reporter from an event in the Oval Office after demanding the news agency alter its style on the Gulf.
The AP said last month, that it would continue to refer to the "Gulf of Mexico" in news reports while noting Trump's decision to rename it as well. As a global news agency that disseminates news around the world, the AP said it must ensure that place names and geography are easily recognizable to all audiences.
Information from the Associated Press and News Service of Florida was used in this report.
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