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Bipartisan 'no wake bill' awaits governor's signature as part of Florida transportation package

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Published  May 8, 2025 7:41am EDT
Florida
FOX 13 News
‘No wake bill’ goes to governor’s desk

‘No wake bill’ goes to governor’s desk

Florida lawmakers have passed a bill that would penalize people who drive fast enough to create an excessive wake on flooded streets. FOX 13’s Kailey Tracy reports.

The Brief

    • Florida lawmakers have passed a bipartisan measure that would penalize people who drive fast enough through flooded streets to create an excessive wake.
    • It's part of a larger Senate transportation package.
    • If Gov. Ron DeSantis signs the bill into law, it would take effect July 1.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Newly-passed legislation would make it illegal in Florida for people to drive fast enough through flooded streets to create an excessive wake.

It was a joint, bipartisan effort by two lawmakers from Pinellas County: Sen. Nick DiCeglie, R-Indian Rocks Beach, and Rep. Lindsay Cross, D-St. Petersburg. They both say they’ve heard the outcry from their constituents for years, and most recently after Hurricanes Helene and Milton, about what Sen. DiCeglie calls reckless drivers, causing waves that then flood people’s property.

Lawmakers had to amend the legislation and add it to a bigger Senate transportation package to push it through.

A bill that would make it illegal to create an excessive wake on Florida streets awaits the signature of Gov. Ron DeSantis.

A bill that would make it illegal to create an excessive wake on Florida streets awaits the signature of Gov. Ron DeSantis.

What they're saying:

"Thank you for including language policies about slower speed zones when we have flooded streets," Rep. Cross said to her colleagues at the end of April. "This is something that has impacted many communities during hurricanes or heavy rainfall when people are driving too fast on flooded roads, and pushing wakes into homes and businesses, causing damage to personal and business property. This is going to help our law enforcement. It's going to help our communities to message about this, keeping drivers and homeowners safer."

FOX 13 talked to the president of the Shore Acres Civic Association when the bill was drafted.

"You have what we call joyriders," Kevin Batdorf, President of the Shore Acres Civic Association, said. "Some of us call them clowns, idiots, morons."

"We've been fighting for this for years, and, yeah, I'm glad to see it finally coming through," Batdorf said.

READ: Alligator kills 61-year-old Davenport woman canoeing with husband on Lake Kissimmee

Dig deeper:

The legislation would make it a non-criminal traffic violation. St. Petersburg city leaders supported the state legislation with a resolution earlier this year. Louisiana and South Carolina have similar laws on the books.

What's next:

Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to sign it into law, and if that happens, it would go into effect July 1.

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The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Kailey Tracy.

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