Bipartisan 'no wake bill' awaits governor's signature as part of Florida transportation package
The Brief
Florida lawmakers have passed a bipartisan measure that would penalize people who drive fast enough through flooded streets to create an excessive wake.
It's part of a larger Senate transportation package.
If Gov. Ron DeSantis signs the bill into law, it would take effect July 1.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Newly-passed legislation would make it illegal in Florida for people to drive fast enough through flooded streets to create an excessive wake.
It was a joint, bipartisan effort by two lawmakers from Pinellas County: Sen. Nick DiCeglie, R-Indian Rocks Beach, and Rep. Lindsay Cross, D-St. Petersburg. They both say they've heard the outcry from their constituents for years, and most recently after Hurricanes Helene and Milton, about what Sen. DiCeglie calls reckless drivers, causing waves that then flood people's property.
Lawmakers had to amend the legislation and add it to a bigger Senate transportation package to push it through.
What they're saying
"Thank you for including language policies about slower speed zones when we have flooded streets," Rep. Cross said to her colleagues at the end of April. "This is something that has impacted many communities during hurricanes or heavy rainfall when people are driving too fast on flooded roads, and pushing wakes into homes and businesses, causing damage to personal and business property. This is going to help our law enforcement. It's going to help our communities to message about this, keeping drivers and homeowners safer."
FOX 13 talked to the president of the Shore Acres Civic Association when the bill was drafted.
"You have what we call joyriders," Kevin Batdorf, President of the Shore Acres Civic Association, said. "Some of us call them clowns, idiots, morons."
"We've been fighting for this for years, and, yeah, I'm glad to see it finally coming through," Batdorf said.
READ: Alligator kills 61-year-old Davenport woman canoeing with husband on Lake Kissimmee
Dig deeper
The legislation would make it a non-criminal traffic violation. St. Petersburg city leaders supported the state legislation with a resolution earlier this year. Louisiana and South Carolina have similar laws on the books.
What's next
Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to sign it into law, and if that happens, it would go into effect July 1.
Follow FOX 13 on YouTube
The Source
Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Kailey Tracy.
STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA:
Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV
Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android
Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines
Download the SkyTower Radar app
Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Britain to allocate $116 billion to R&D in spending plan
LONDON (Reuters) -British finance minister Rachel Reeves will allocate 86 billion pounds ($116 billion) in this week's spending review to fund research and development, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) said on Sunday. It said the package, funding everything from new drug treatments and longer-lasting batteries to artificial intelligence breakthroughs, would be worth over 22.5 billion pounds a year by 2029/30, driving new jobs and economic growth. Reeves will divide more than 2 trillion pounds ($2.7 trillion) of public money between her ministerial colleagues on Wednesday, making choices that will define what the year-old Labour government can achieve in the next four years. The DSIT said the announcement on R&D follows Reeves' commitment last week to 15.6 billion pounds of government investment in local transport in city regions in the Northern England, Midlands and the South West. ($1 = 0.7398 pounds)
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Sunday shows preview: Trump-Musk spat leaves admin reeling; ‘Big, beautiful bill' hits speed bump
President Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk's feud spilled out in public on Thursday, with the world's richest man and the world's most powerful leader trading barbs that engulfed news cycles in Washington and abroad. Musk, a Trump ally, was vocal about his disappointment with Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill' currently sitting in the Senate. Musk, who spent millions during the 2024 presidential campaign to help elect Trump, called the massive piece of legislation a 'disgusting abomination.' Trump then weighed in on Thursday at the White House during German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's visit, saying, 'Elon and I had a great relationship. I don't know if we will anymore.' The spat intensified, with Musk floating the prospects of creating a third party, claiming that without his political contributions, Trump would not be victorious against ex-Vice President Harris in November and accusing the president of having ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Trump threatened to cut off federal contracts awarded to Musk's companies. Later on Thursday, Musk signaled he might be open to brokering a truce with the commander-in-chief. After speaking with several news outlets Friday morning, Trump suggested he is ready to move on and indicated that he will not be speaking with Musk for a while. Trump told CNN Friday morning that he is 'not even thinking about Elon' and added that the SpaceX and Tesla CEO has 'got a problem. The poor guy's got a problem.' In the Senate, Trump's agenda bill, which passed the House chamber last month, has sparked concerns and criticism from GOP senators. The first group of GOP Sens., which consists of Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), are arguing they could vote against the bill if it slashes Medicaid benefits. Others, including Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) have previously said they would not back the legislation if it retains the current debt and spending levels. The GOP can have three defections total if all Democrats vote against the legislation. Sen. Johnson will be on CNN's 'State of the Union where he will likely discuss if any of his concerns regarding the 'Big, Beautiful Bill' have been addressed. As part of a push to root out waste, fraud and abuse within Medicare, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said this week that a bill sponsored by Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), that would crack down on Medicare Advantage overpayments known as 'upcoding,' could be inserted into Trump's massive legislation. Cassidy will be on NewsNation's 'The Hill Sunday,' where he will likely discuss the latest on the reconciliation package along with his recent visit to the White House. NewsNation's 'The Hill Sunday': Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.); Rep. Sarah Elfreth (D-Ma); U.S. Chamber of Commerce chief policy officer Neil Bradley. ABC's 'This Week': Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy; House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.). NBC's 'Meet the Press': Sens. James Lankford (R-Okla.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.). CNN's 'State of the Union': 'Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), and Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.); Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.). CBS' 'Face the Nation': National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett; Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.); Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas); Save the Children U.S. President and CEO Janti Soeripto. 'Fox News Sunday': Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought; Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.); Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas). Fox News' 'Sunday Morning Futures': White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt; Secretary Of Interior Doug Burgum, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.); House Ways And Means Committee Chairman Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.); Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.). Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
Trump threatens 'very serious consequences' if Elon Musk finances Republican challengers
Trump threatens 'very serious consequences' if Elon Musk finances Republican challengers The threat culminated a week of clashes between Trump and Musk over federal policy. Show Caption Hide Caption Six takeaways from the President Donald Trump, Elon Musk feud From disappointment to threats, here are six takeaways from the public spat between President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. Trump told NBC News there would be 'very serious consequences' if Musk financed challenges to Republicans who support his legislative priorities. Musk, who contributed nearly $300 million to help Republicans including Trump win the 2024 election, has harshly criticized the legislative package. President Donald Trump said his former adviser, billionaire Elon Musk, would face 'very serious consequences' if he financed candidates to challenge Republicans who support the president's legislative package for tax cuts and border security. 'If he does, he'll have to pay the consequences for that,' Trump told NBC News on June 7. He declined to share what those would be. 'He'll have to pay very serious consequences if he does that.' The rupture between the world's most powerful man and the world's richest man reaches far beyond their own relationship. Musk contributed nearly $300 million to help Republicans, including Trump, win the 2024 elections. He was a special White House adviser recommending ways to dismantle federal agencies and lay off workers. Trump thanked him repeatedly for his service and presented him with a gold key in the Oval Office on May 30. But in the week after, Musk harshly called the House-passed legislative package of Trump's top priorities a "disgusting abomination" and urged lawmakers to kill it, as the Senate debates the measure. In response, Trump has already threatened to cancel Musk's government subsidies for electric carmaker Tesla and contracts for rocket company SpaceX. Trump said he thought Musk turned on him because the legislation would end subsidies for electric vehicles and because Trump discarded Musk's choice to lead NASA. Musk replied by threatening to shut down the Dragon spacecraft program that helps the U.S. transport astronauts and supplies to the International Space Station. Trump has seemingly tried to temper his public comments about Musk, wishing his companies well. But he told reporters on Air Force One on June 6 that retaliation was possible. 'He's got a lot of money. He gets a lot of subsidy, so we'll take a look at that,' Trump said. 'Only if it's fair for him and for the country, I would certainly think about it. But it has to be fair.'
