by Dawn Kitterman
MANATEE — The Florida House of Representatives adopted Florida Senate Bill 302 on Monday, which could stall any plan for the development of a mega cruise port terminal at the mouth of Tampa Bay near the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve in Manatee County.
SB 302 is a coastal resiliency bill that, in mid-February, Florida Senator Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton) added an amendment to extend protections for the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve and to restrict the sort of dredging or filling of submerged lands that would be needed to construct a cruise port.
Senator Boyd proposed the amendment after SSA Marine, a global terminal operator, announced plans to pursue development of a mega cruise terminal on a 328-acre parcel known as the Knott-Cowen tract. The proposal quickly drew broad public backlash due to concerns about building a facility for mega cruise ships—those too large to pass under the Skyway—in the highly environmentally sensitive area.
On February 19, SB 302, inclusive of Boyd’s amendment, passed the Senate chamber 38-0.
On Monday, the Florida House of Representatives passed the measure unanimously, 109-0. Following the vote, Manatee County Republican Representative Will Robinson shared on Facebook that he’s hopeful the bill will receive Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signature.
“There is still a long way to go, but this is definitely one BIG step to stopping this terrible project,” wrote Robinson.
Speaking on the floor of the House ahead of the vote on Monday, Robinson said, “This is one of the most pristine areas in our state, and we don’t need mega cruise ships in this area… this may be one of the most important environmental bills that we vote on this session.”
Now that SB 302 has passed both the Florida House and Senate, it heads to DeSantis’ desk, where it could be signed into law. If the bill becomes law, its provisions carry an effective date of July 1, 2026.