TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The so-called “Gulf of America” bill cleared a hurdle in the Florida Legislature on Tuesday.
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SB 1058 moved forward with a six to one vote in the Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee.
The bill would require the state to only purchase materials that designate the gulf as the “Gulf of America.”
Democratic State Sen. Tina Polsky from Boca Raton spoke out against the bill saying, “It just bothers me that we’re even making this change. That we are even wasting our time dealing with this. I don’t think that any other President has ever changed the names of geographical bodies of water or geographical lands.”
The bill sponsor, Republican State Sen. Joe Gruters from Sarasota replied, “The name has changed. It is now the Gulf of America. Listen. We want our kids to have the correct names of everything moving forward, and so this is just the way to do that.”
Gruters removed a provision in the bill which had called for the Tamiami Trail to be renamed Gulf of America Trail after hearing from constituents.
In February, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said it will implement a “Gulf of America” name change to all of its Commission materials.
In a media release, FWC said it will support President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14172, which calls for the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. All commission materials, documents, maps, forms, and resources will reflect the change.
The FWC said the changes would apply to offices and programs that directly involve the Gulf of America, including the Division of Marine Fisheries Management, the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Division of Law Enforcement and the Boating and Waterways Section within the Division of Law Enforcement across the state of Florida.
Google Maps also replaced the Gulf of Mexico with the Gulf of America in February.
SB 1058 still has a way to go in the Florida Legislature.
If it does become law, each school district and charter school governing board in the state would be required to adopt the change.
Old materials will not need to be updated.