A Federal Judge has issued a preliminary injunction against Florida’s “Vaccine Passport Ban” setting the stage for a prolonged legal wrangling over the hot button issue.
A federal judge on Sunday night sided with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings in a fight with Florida over vaccine passports, granting the cruise line’s request for a preliminary injunction that blocks a state law barring businesses from requiring proof of vaccination.
In a nearly 60-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams stated that Florida “fails to provide a valid evidentiary, factual, or legal predicate” for its prohibition on vaccine passports.
“Amid myriad, rapidly-changing requirements regarding quarantining and testing, there is one constant that facilitates cruise line customers’ access to advertised ports of call: documentary proof of vaccination will expedite passengers’ entry into virtually every single country and port where Plaintiffs intend to sail,” Williams wrote.
Background: Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has consistently fought against coronavirus restrictions such as mandates for face masks, in April signed an executive order barring vaccine passports. The Florida Legislature also approved a measure blessing the order and fining companies that violate the ban.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings filed a suit against Florida in mid-July. The cruise line has a ship set to sail out of Miami on Aug. 15.
This is just one of the lawsuits the governor is currently fighting over cruise ships. Florida is in another legal battle with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention over its cruise directive.
What’s next: The legal fight between the state and Norwegian could drag on. Peter Patterson, who represents the state and state Surgeon General Scott Rivkees, hinted during a court hearing Friday over the injunction that Florida could take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.
You can read Judge Williams’ Florida “Vaccine Passport Ban” ruling for yourself here:
Everybody’s a winner here. Norwegian can keep nitwit anti-vaxers off its ships, and DeSantis can fundraise off his nitwit anti-vaxer supporters.Report
Methinks the case will be a loser in front of SCOTUS.Report