Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced a legislative proposal on Wednesday aimed at curbing what he called “intrusive” and unwarranted boat safety inspections by law enforcement officers. Speaking at the Miami International Boat Show, DeSantis called for an end to the practice of stopping boaters for safety checks without probable cause or suspected violations, arguing that the current system unfairly targets responsible boaters and wastes valuable resources.
DeSantis’ proposal seeks to amend a state law that currently allows Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers to conduct random safety inspections on boaters, even in the absence of any clear wrongdoing. The governor argued that such stops are unnecessary and undermine the rights of law-abiding citizens.
READ: Florida Cracks Down On Hundreds Of Fake SunPass Websites
“By eliminating unwarranted vessel inspections without probable cause, we believe FWC officers should better allocate resources and time in cases where there’s a clear need for intervention,” DeSantis said during his appearance at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
The proposal, which could be taken up during the upcoming legislative session starting March 4, would require officers to have probable cause before conducting safety inspections. DeSantis emphasized that the change would protect the rights of boaters while allowing law enforcement to focus on legitimate safety concerns.
“We even had the situation out of Jupiter, got millions and millions of views on the internet, where you had somebody pulled over for supposedly driving a boat under the influence and then blows a 0.0 breathalyzer. And then they still went after them. And that’s unacceptable,” DeSantis said.
READ: Florida Senator Rick Scott Introduces Bill To Combat Chinese Tariff Evasion
DeSantis pointed to a high-profile incident in Jupiter, Florida, last year as an example of the overreach he hopes to address. In the incident, which went viral online, a boater was pulled over by an FWC officer on suspicion of operating a vessel under the influence.
After the boater blew a 0.0 on a breathalyzer test, the officer continued to pursue the case, sparking widespread criticism.
“And that’s unacceptable,” DeSantis said.
In addition to ending unwarranted inspections, DeSantis’ proposal would direct the FWC to collaborate with county tax collectors to create a boater decal program. The decals, which could be obtained during boat registration, would serve as proof that boaters have met safety requirements, such as inspecting and maintaining their vessels.
“This decal will reassure law enforcement that the boater has done the due diligence of inspecting and maintaining proper boater safety requirements,” DeSantis explained.
The program aims to streamline the process for both boaters and law enforcement, reducing the need for random stops while ensuring compliance with safety standards.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Connect with us: Follow the Tampa Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for breaking news and updates.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.