Florida boaters have been getting harassed on the water for years.
Governor Ron DeSantis finally did something about it.
And Ron DeSantis just delivered this big win for Florida boaters that will have law enforcement fuming.
Florida boaters get relief from constant police searches
Florida is known as the boating capital of America with its miles of coastline, numerous lakes, and year-round warm temperatures.
But Florida boaters have been subjected to a disturbing trend of law enforcement agencies conducting random stops and searches without probable cause.
Governor Ron DeSantis took action to end this practice by signing the “Boater Freedom Act” (Senate Bill 1388) at Watson Landings Marina in Panama City.
“Current law allows both state and local law enforcement to pull a boater over when no probable cause or suspected violation has incurred and to conduct inspections,” DeSantis explained during the signing ceremony.
#BREAKING: Gov. Ron DeSantis announces his signature of the Boater Freedom Act, brought by Sen. @JayTrumbull and Rep. Philip Griffitts
The bill restricts law enforcement ability to stop and board Floridian vessels without probable cause of a safety violation, creates a Florida… pic.twitter.com/vNRrFEfXbl
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) May 19, 2025
The governor added that these inspections often go beyond safety checks and can include “personal property searches, sometimes leading to further law enforcement action beyond merely safety compliance.”
One of the bill’s sponsors, Panama City Republican Senator Jay Trumbull, cited personal experience with this overreach, noting that one of his neighbors had been boarded three separate times during a single boating trip.
“At its core, the Boater Freedom Act is about protecting personal freedoms and preventing government overreach,” Trumbull said at the signing. “The right to move freely without being stopped or questioned without cause is fundamental in a free society and that right should apply whether you’re on the highway or on the water.”
Specific incident prompted new law
DeSantis referenced a troubling incident in Jupiter last year as one of the motivations behind pushing for this legislative change.
“They board his vessel, they have him blow the breathalyzer, 0.0. He wasn’t drinking, and there was no basis to do it,” DeSantis said. “There was no activity that was suspicious. There were no safety violations. There was no reckless boating. And it was this whole thing, this guy ends up getting arrested. I’m just thinking to myself, ‘That is not what we want.'”
The case DeSantis mentioned received significant attention online and highlighted exactly the type of government overreach the new law aims to prevent.
Boater Freedom Act includes multiple provisions
The bill, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support (104-7 in the House and 35-2 in the Senate), includes several key provisions beyond just ending suspicionless stops, such as:
- It creates a “Florida Freedom Boater” safety inspection decal program for compliant vessels that will be issued at the time of registration or renewal;
- It establishes a grant program for construction and maintenance of publicly owned parking for boat-hauling vehicles and trailers; and
- It prohibits state or local governments from restricting the use or sale of any watercraft based on its power source, protecting gas-powered watercraft from environmental regulations.
This last provision was emphasized by DeSantis as important for affordability.
“We’re not going to allow local governments to step in and block the ability to purchase and for the businesses to sell vessels based on the source of fuel that those vessels are using,” he said. “We know a lot of families opt for used vessels, and of course, they’re going to be gas powered. People want to be able to afford this.”
Law enforcement adapts to new restrictions
The new law will require law enforcement agencies to adjust their approach when it takes effect on July 1.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Executive Director Roger Young, whose officers are most affected by the change, said the agency will now focus “on violations that are occurring, that we’re seeing, reckless operation, careless operation.”
DeSantis argued that rather than hampering law enforcement, the new restrictions will lead to better resource allocation.
“I think by this legislation protecting you against suspicionless searches, I think it actually will be a better allocation of resources, not just for FWC, but also for the other local law enforcement agencies who are really important in keeping our people safe,” he said.
The Governor also signed a companion bill (House Bill 735) that provides additional funding for public boat ramps, parking, and marina programs through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
For Florida’s nearly one million registered boaters, the Boater Freedom Act represents a significant win for individual liberty and pushes back against government overreach that had become commonplace on the state’s waterways.
“This is really significant legislation today,” DeSantis concluded. “I know there’s a lot of people throughout Florida that are going to be happy that this legislation finally got across the finish line.”
