DeSantis wants to ban officials who stop sailors without suspecting fraud.

Gainesville – Gov. Ron DeSantis is creating a new course for Florida recreational seafarers, and on Wednesday state legislators will be taking a look at Marine Corps law enforcement officers unless there is a reasonable suspicion of criminal activity. They are urging people to ban boats from stopping on the water.

When appearing at a boat show in Miami Beach, the governor said he was announcing the “Boter Freedom Initiative” that changes existing Florida laws that allow boat inspections and investigations under justification for safety checks. I did.

The move represents a major change in maritime law enforcement. DeSantis called the existing law “the mistakes in question in this state are wrong for too long.” It was not clear how changes to Florida law would affect U.S. Coast Guard operations in state waters.

“We don’t want the boat to interfere unnecessarily,” DeSantis said. He described law enforcement officers as “sometimes meaningful.”

“People who enjoy themselves when there’s no indication that nothing is wrong should not be exposed to these intensive searches,” DeSantis said at the Miami International Boat Show.

The annual session of the council will begin for 60 days next month.

State law allows authorities to stop and inspect containers on board for no possible reason. Officers regularly check Boater registration documents, fishing license or catches, storage containers or coolers, life-saving personnel, necessary safety equipment, and boater drinking.

DeSantis said he cited examples of the law causing unfair testing and going viral since August. Desantis met with executives two weeks ago on January 29th, according to a copy of the governor’s official schedule.

36-year-old Michael Christian Arieta was on the Roxahatchee River with his wife on board when Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Board officials stopped him. According to his arrest report, Arieta was driving a boat on full plane in the slow speed zone.

Following the officer’s instructions, Arieta performed a series of drinking tasks before being arrested and accused of running the boat under the influence.

“I’m with all the kids now,” Arieta told the executive. “You don’t smell alcohol in my breath. There’s no ounce of alcohol on the boat.” At one point in the encounter, Arieta tells the police officer that he is an elder of the church and gives the local police chief. He said he knew it personally and said, “If you google me, will I be on Governor Ron DeSantis’s Council?”

It was not immediately clear which council Arieta had explained it. Searches for announcements of governor appointments did not see Arieta’s announcement. According to the council’s website, he was not a member of the governor’s faith-based advisory committee. The governor’s press did not immediately respond to requests for explanation.

According to the arrest report, Arieta told his wife to ask for the officer’s name and badge number to “call multiple high-ranking officials” in the state.

The incident was captured on video through a police officer’s body camera and shared online.

Arieta, who has never been charged with a crime, said in an interview that the situation is traumatized for him and his family. He refused to further discuss the governor’s new proposal or case.

DeSantis also said he intends to eliminate restrictions on municipalities in some states that would force a ban on water fuel-based boats on Wednesday.

“If you don’t want to, you don’t need to drive an electric boat,” he said.

The story was produced by Fresh Take Florida, a news service at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications. Reporters can be contacted at lauren.brensel@ufl.edu. You can donate here to support our students.