Ask Senator Rodriguez to Defend Home Rule

We are working hard to defeat Senate Bill 426. And we need your help.

SB 426 is the draft bill that would seize local power to regulate local ports and deliver that power entirely to Tallahassee. It would not only overturn the decision by Key West voters to place common-sense limits on cruise ships, but would also end home rule in our 15 sister ports throughout the state.

If this bill passes, decades of local rule-making that protect local interests will be wiped off the books in favor of big-government bureaucracy. Entire port master plans will be thrown out the window. The great history and maritime traditions of Key West, Pensacola, Jacksonville, and other ports will be threatened as unique policies tailored to Florida’s unique coastlines are replaced by a one-size-fits-all approach.

The bill has been assigned to the Transportation Committee, where our local delegate, Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez has an important seat. We need at least 4 senators on this committee to tell the committee Chair that they cannot vote for SB 426. Our Senator has the potential to be Key West’s strongest ally, but we need your help to secure her support.

Senator Rodriguez needs to hear from more of her constituents, like you, who support the amendments and who feel that these sensible limits on cruise ships must be allowed to stand. She needs to hear how her voters see SB 426 as a gross example of big government overreach.

Please take a few minutes to write or call Senator Rodriguez, to respectfully tell her in your own words why you think local ports should remain under local control. We see Senator Rodriguez as our friend on this issue and we hope you do too.

We want to keep SB 426 from ever appearing on the agenda, and we think Senator Rodriguez will play a crucial role. If she makes it clear that she cannot support it, we think we can kill this bill.

Contact info for Senator Rodriguez is below. We hope you can help. If you can copy us on your email to her (info@safercleanerships.com), that would help us keep track of who she is hearing from. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez
318 Senate Office Building
404 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399

email: rodriguez.anamaria@flsenate.gov
phone: 850-487-5039

Thank you,

The Key West Committee for Safer Cleaner Ships