DeSantis Says He‘ll ’Enforce Florida Law' Against Vaccine Passports After Cruise Line Unveils Plans

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at Florida International University in Miami, Fla., on May 24, 2021. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has reiterated that his state won’t embrace so-called “vaccine passports” in the midst of confusion about whether a federally mandated system will be implemented for airplane and cruise travelers.

“We are going to enforce Florida law,” DeSantis, a Republican, said on May 28 in reference to a bill he signed earlier this month prohibiting passport-type systems.

Some cruise lines, which conduct a large amount of business in Florida, may be at risk of violating state law after Celebrity Cruises gained approval from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to require that cruise passengers and crew members show proof of vaccination.

Going a step further, DeSantis said Celebrity Cruises would be breaking Florida law if it attempted to require that passengers show proof of vaccination against COVID-19. The Florida state legislature passed Senate Bill 2006, banning passport-like systems being implemented in Florida in early May.

“You don’t pass laws and then not enforce them against giant corporations. It doesn’t work that way,” DeSantis said on May 28.

After the CDC shut down cruise operators last year during the pandemic, the federal health agency said cruises can resume under more stringent guidelines.

DeSantis said that the agency, however, “does not have the authority” to shut down cruise lines.

Despite statements from the governor, Celebrity Cruises—a subsidiary of cruise giant Royal Caribbean—said through a spokesperson that they'll proceed with their plans and will require people to show proof of vaccination.

“We are working to finalize our health and safety measures for cruises departing from U.S. ports, including Florida, in collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as local authorities in the U.S. and destinations we visit,” Celebrity Cruise spokesperson Susan Lomax told USA Today.

“Our commitment to sail with fully vaccinated crew members and guests still stands as it is a meaningful layer to ensure we make every effort to help keep safe our guests, crew, and the communities we visit.”

Vaccine passports have been criticized by DeSantis, other Republicans, and civil liberties groups for potentially creating a two-tiered society consisting of vaccinated and unvaccinated people. Another concern, raised by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and pro-privacy groups, highlights that health agencies and private companies would be able to more easily gain access to the health records of U.S. citizens, potentially violating the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

The federal government has shown little interest in creating or enforcing a passport-type system. After Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told ABC News on May 28 that there’s some consideration of implementing such a system for airplane travelers, a White House press secretary told reporters later in the day that the administration has not “moved our stance” on the issue.