Florida Bill Would Follow Trump-backed 'Gulf of America' Change

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -Sen. Nick DiCeglie (R-Indian Rocks Beach) filed SB 608 Tuesday to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America" under Florida Statutes. The proposed legislation would specifically ensure "all official state documents, maps, and references reflect the designation Gulf of America."

“Thanks to the leadership of President Trump, we have the opportunity to honor America’s greatness by embracing the Gulf of America,” DiCeglie said in a press release.

The Gulf covers approximately 600,000 square miles along the Southern United States, including 770 miles by Florida's west coast. For context, the body of water is bounded by 35 state counties from westernmost Escambia County to southernmost Monroe County and its extension in the Florida Keys.

It also stretches along Pinellas County, represented partially by DiCeglie.

“This body of water has long been essential to the livelihood of Pinellas County, supporting our fishing industry, local businesses, and vibrant tourism sector. By updating Florida’s statutes to reflect this new designation, we are reinforcing President Trump’s bold vision and ensuring the Gulf’s significance is recognized at the state level," DiCeglie continued.

The announcement comes after President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14172 (Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness) in January.

The order specifically called to “take all appropriate actions to rename as the ‘Gulf of America’ the U.S. Continental Shelf area bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the State of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida and extending to the seaward boundary with Mexico and Cuba in the area formerly named as the Gulf of Mexico.”

Trump also said he issued the order because “[t]he area formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico has long been an integral asset to our once burgeoning Nation and has remained an indelible part of America.”

In addition, Trump issued a proclamation recognizing this past Sunday as the first-ever Gulf of America Day. Florida had picked up on the trend after Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an Executive Order that recognized the name change before a winter storm approached the state in January.

Even Google appeared to get the message after it said they "have a longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources."

.If passed, SB 608 would take effect on July 1.