House to vote on renaming Gulf of Mexico

A pair of bills to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America" are set for a vote in the House. The House State Affairs Committee, led by Republicans, approved the measures on Thursday. One bill, known as HB 549, requires state agencies to update their maps and educational materials to reflect the new name. School boards would also need to acquire teaching resources that use the Gulf of America name. The second bill, HB 575, aims to formally rename the Gulf in 52 parts of state law. If both bills pass the Legislature and are signed by Governor Ron DeSantis, the changes will begin on July 1. Similar proposals are also being considered in the Florida Senate.