TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida state lawmakers are on the cusp of officially renaming the Gulf.
The bill (HB 575) aims to designate that body of water as the “Gulf of America,” making the change official across all Florida statutes and state agencies.
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That proposal stems from an Executive Order issued by President Donald Trump shortly after his inauguration back in January, establishing the name change at the federal level.
“The area formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico has long been an integral asset to our once burgeoning Nation and has remained an indelible part of America," the order reads. "The Gulf will continue to play a pivotal role in shaping America’s future and the global economy, and in recognition of this flourishing economic resource and its critical importance to our Nation’s economy and its people, I am directing that it officially be renamed the Gulf of America."
But HB 575 isn’t the only piece of legislation aiming to implement this designation in Florida.
Another bill (HB 549) would take it a step further, requiring that the new federal designation be included in instructional materials for state schools in grades K-12.
Both of these bills were approved in the House earlier this month, and they passed the Senate by a vote of 28-9 just last week.
Now, they are both headed for the desk of Gov. Ron DeSantis, who will make the final decision of whether to sign them into law.
If he chooses to do so, the rules are set to take effect on July 1.
