A.G. Gancarski
Measures that would see Florida adopt the “Gulf of America” name in state law and teaching materials are positioned for House votes.
The legislation would change 92 statutory references in Florida law to refer to the body of water along Florida’s west coast as the new name (HB 575) and put “Gulf of America” in K-12 instructional materials (HB 549). The bills, sponsored by Rep. Tyler Sirois and Rep. Juan Porras, respectively, look to align state standards with federal guidelines promulgated by the Donald Trump administration.
Democrats had their say before the inevitable outcomes, with Sirois’ bill passing 78-27 and Porras’ passing 78-29.
Rep. Anna Eskamani said voters didn’t want Sirois’ statutory revision bill and it played into a “hostile political climate.” Rep. Ashley Gantt said both the Sirois bill and the Porras bill about academic materials represented an unfunded mandate on local governments. Rep. Mike Gottlieb spoke to the need to teach “unvarnished history.”
However, Republicans made their own arguments affirming the bills.
Rep. Meg Weinberger framed Sirois’ bill as promoting an “America First agenda.” And Porras framed his own bill as a sign of a “new era of American exceptionalism.”
The companion bills are coming in for a landing in the Senate as well. SB 608 and SB 1058 both are on the Second Reading Calendar.
Tallahassee Republicans have quickly embraced the new name for the body of water that was called the Gulf of Mexico without controversy until earlier this year.
Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson is backing the President’s preference regarding government documents, pushing for changes on behalf of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Simpson’s goal is to rename the body of water as the Gulf of America “as quickly as possible … in all department administrative rules, forms, maps, and resources.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis was the first state official to use the new name in an executive order declaring a State of Emergency over a Winter storm last month. That order said the inclement weather was headed to Florida across the “Gulf of America.”
The declaration came the same day Trump made the name change official in his own executive order.
While there’s more controversy outside Tallahassee (The Associated Press and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum haven’t accepted the Gulf of America designation), that’s not germane to the legislative process in the Sunshine State.
10 comments
ScienceBLVR
April 3, 2025 at 4:39 pm
Is there anything Trump has done so far in this administration as totally ridiculous and not in the least relevant to American lives as this stupidity? Sure, many executive orders he’s given thus far are more dangerous or more likely to decimate the economy- looked at my investment account today- holy crapola! But as idiotic as this renaming a body of water that first appeared on a map in 1550 is, at least it only cost taxpayers money to change textbooks, maps, etc. To me, the most concerning aspect is the total acceptance by the GOP- they know the king has no clothes- but let the US be ignorantly naked to the world.
Peachy
April 3, 2025 at 5:31 pm
How about getting rid of the illegal criminals that Joe and The Border Czar let in? In case you haven’t noticed, fuel prices have come down. Cleaning up the fraud, waste and abuse of the Federal Government. Of course the Dems protest as they like high taxes and inefficiency.
JD
April 3, 2025 at 5:49 pm
SO MANY ‘illegal criminals’ let in? Nonsense. More people were turned away or deported under the Biden administration than under Trump, especially in the early stages when Title 42 was still active. You’re slinging culture war nonsense because you’ve got nothing else.
What about the people who were illegally deported under Trump’s policies? That’s going to cost taxpayers millions in legal settlements. Or how about the absurd idea of housing people at Guantánamo Bay – at a cost of nearly $400,000 per detainee per year – as if that’s efficient government spending? Where’s the outrage over that fraud, waste, and abuse?
Oh, and let’s not forget part of why prices eased was because Trump’s temporary production cut deal with the Saudis expired. You know, the one that propped up prices during the pandemic? But sure, let’s pretend Biden sets gas prices with a dial in the Oval Office.
Amateur hour. Keep pretending this is all about good governance while parroting talking points from right-wing think tanks. I know your type.
Peachy
April 3, 2025 at 6:40 pm
How much money has it cost this country to house, feed, clothe, educate, medical for the milllions that the previous incompetent administration let in? Ask the mayor of NYC. Ask the mayor of Chicago. Ask the mayors of San Antonio, Del Rio, Uvalde, Brownsville, El Paso. I know your type too. So drunk on zombie juice.
JD
April 3, 2025 at 8:18 pm
Oh please. You’re acting like the immigration system was running smoothly before Biden. The “previous incompetent administration”? You mean the one that inherited a pandemic, an economy in freefall, and an already broken immigration system from Trump?
Funny how y’all forget Trump cut aid to Central America, gutted legal pathways, and stacked the asylum system with delays, creating the very bottlenecks we’re still dealing with.
Ask those mayors how much help they got when Trump was in charge the first time or how well his “big, beautiful wall” kept things under control (hint: it didn’t). But sure, keep guzzling the ORANGE outrage Kool-Aid and pretending this all started in 2021. But again, we know your type. Helmet
Peachy
April 3, 2025 at 8:43 pm
Helmet eh? From now on I will address you as “Soy Boy”. It fits you perfectly. 🤣
JD
April 3, 2025 at 9:14 pm
Ahh, did I touch a nerve? Probably the one right under the helmet.
You keep losing, and I wouldn’t be harsh if you didn’t post nonsense that gullible people actually believe. Most of the time, you show a bit of intelligence but now you’re all worked up about “sides.” Who cares about sides? That tribal nonsense is exactly why I think you’re just a paid shill.
Your posts are either straight-up whataboutism or copy-pasted right-wing media talking points. I haven’t seen you fact-check a single thing.
And seriously, “Soy Boy”? That’s the best you’ve got? What are you even implying? That I’m gay, or secretly transitioning because of tofu? Get the hell out of here with that weak sauce. erm. Helmet.
Peachy
April 3, 2025 at 9:19 pm
Didn’t touch a nerve Soy Boy. You call me Helmet so I call you Soy. That’s not all I got. You want to start exchanging slurs then I say challenge accepted. Good night Soy Boy.
JD
April 3, 2025 at 9:25 pm
And evening to you Helmet.
Michael K
April 3, 2025 at 5:36 pm
Idiotic and stupid power play – a rewrite of history right up there with freedumb fries.