Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke Wednesday about the Florida boating industry shortly before kicking off the Miami International Boat Show.
From the Miami Beach Convention Center, DeSantis spoke about some initiatives coming out of his office, including the Boater Freedom initiative, which would preserve the right of boaters to buy gas-powered vessels and preemptively ban requiring boaters to buy electric boats.
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WATCH HEREAs part of the initiative, the governor also said he would "prohibit the use of safety inspection as a probable cause to pull over" a boater.
"People who are just out enjoying themselves when there's no indication that anything is wrong, they should not be subjected to these intensive searches," he said.
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DeSantis also called for a sales tax holiday on marine fuel from Memorial Day weekend to Independence Day.
"We think it's a way to save our boaters and our anglers a lot of money on fuel for their vessels," the governor said. "We're going to keep doing what we can to make Florida great for boating and for fishing, support a really critical industry."
He also announced that Florida broke another record for tourism, with 142.9 million travelers to the Sunshine State in 2024.
"That's the highest on record," DeSantis said.
After his comments, the governor cut the ribbon, officially kicking off the Miami International Boat Show.
The boat show, which will run until Feb. 16, is expected to bring hundreds of thousands of attendees. According to organizers, the event brings in nearly $1 billion in revenue.
At the show, there will be 1,000 plus exhibiting brands and over 1,000 vessels will be showcased.
As part of the event, there are five other locations where guests can gaze and learn about the luxury vessels that will be displayed, which include Pride Park, Herald Plaza, Venetian Marina, Museum Park Marina and Superyacht Miami at Yacht Haven Grande Miami.
To buy tickets, go here for more information.
