Florida is home to a vast amount of water utilized for commercial and recreational uses. Governor Ron DeSantisstated, “Florida is the boating and fishing capital of the world”. He and the Florida Legislature have once again protected boaters by the passage and signing of “The Boater Freedom Act” a/k/a Senate Bill 1388. This delegation has also been very dedicated to the funding of construction and maintenance of public boating infrastructure. Their dedication did not stop with boating protection and funding infrastructure, they demonstrated their commitment to boating workforce awareness, development, and education with the passage of House Bill 403 which created “The Boating Capital of the World” license plate.This license plate funding is dedicated to the advancement ofboating opportunities and employment.

On July 1, 2025, The Boating Freedom Act will become effective. The bill is a multi-faceted bill which provides that a law enforcement officer may not perform a vessel stop or boarda vessel for the sole purpose of making a safety or marine sanitation equipment inspection. Also, a violation of safety and/or marine sanitation equipment requirements may only be considered a secondary offense.

The bill requires both the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the Florida Department of Highway Safey and Motor Vehicles to create a “Florida Freedom Boater” safety inspection decal program which will be issued and displayed to demonstrate compliance with safety equipment carriage and use requirements. The bill also contains the “Watercraft Energy Source Freedom Act’ which prohibits a state agency, municipality, government entity or county from restricting the use or sale of watercraft based on the energy source used to power the watercraft.

This bill also authorized the FWC to develop and administercompetitive grant programs funded with money from the Fuel Tax Collection Trust Fund. The grants can provide funding for the construction and maintenance of publicly owned boat ramps, piers and docks, boater education and economic development initiatives that promote boating in the State of Florida. “The Fuel Tax Collection Trust Fund requires an annual disbursement of $2.5 million to the FWC’s State Game Trust Fund for recreational boating activities and freshwater fisheries management and research. Of those funds, a minimum of $1.25 million must be used to fund local projects to provide recreational channel marking and other uniform waterway markers, public boat ramps, lifts and hoists, marine railways, and other public launching facilities, derelict vessel removal, and other local boating-related activities. The remaining $1.25 million may be used for recreational boating activities and freshwater fisheries management and research.”

This bill provides FWC the power to establish springs protection zones to prevent significant harm to springs, spring groups, and spring runs. The bill also prohibits the FWC from issuing a fishing license to any commercial fishing vessel owned by any alien power.

In addition to the newly established 2025 acts and provisions for the maritime industry. There was a significant 2024 bill passed creating a specialty license plate which helps to facilitate the industry’s future by providing funding for job placement, job awareness, development, and education of maritime opportunities.

House Bill 403 passed in 2024 created “The Boating Capital of The World” specialty license plate. The bill authorizes the specialty plate with an annual use fee of $25.75 with distribution to Captain Sandy Yawn, Inc. Captain Sandy Yawn, Inc., also known as Captain Sandy’s Charities, is a Florida not-for-profit organization. Their focus is promotingawareness and funding of maritime employment opportunitiesand education. The organization is led by Captain Sandy Yawn, a renowned superyacht captain with over 30 years of international maritime experience. She is also the captain of Bravo TV’s Below Deck Mediterranean Series.

The fee usage approved by the creation of plate included “up to 10 percent of such fees for administrative costs and marketing of the plate. The balance of the annual fee must be used to increase public awareness of employment opportunities in the maritime industry. Fund maritime workforce instruction and training. Promote professional development and job placement in all sectors of maritime employment and support the advancement of education of trainees in the maritime industry, both at sea and on land. “

The license plate is currently in its pre-sale state. Three thousand plates must be pre-sold before the actual creation and issuance of the plate. If you are interested in pre-ordering or supporting the boating industry’s future please see the following link https://captainsandyscharities.org/support.

The 2025 legislative session was a very busy one and it was filled with financial prudence and protection and advancement of Floridians and our Florida Freedoms. As you enjoy the water this summer, please remember that we do have Florida law makers and governing individuals that are interested in keeping you free.

Mary Ann Hutton, Founder​​

The Straight Truth

www.thestraighttruth.us

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