Florida Lawmakers Advance Trump Rename for Palm Beach Airport, E-Bike Safety Rules

Florida's 2025 legislative session wrapped without a state budget but sent several transportation-related bills to Gov. Ron DeSantis, including measures that would rename Palm Beach International Airport after President Donald Trump and impose new safety rules on electric bicycle riders statewide.

For Treasure Coast and Palm Beach area residents, the most visible change could come at the region's main commercial airport. Republican lawmakers passed legislation giving the state — rather than local governments — the power to rename major commercial airports, with Palm Beach International designated as "President Donald J. Trump International Airport" under HB 919. The bill strips local governments of naming authority over Florida's largest commercial airports.

Riders and drivers sharing paths and sidewalks would also face new rules if DeSantis signs SB 381. The measure would require e-bike operators — riders of pedal-assisted electric bikes with motors under 750 watts — to slow to 10 mph when within 50 feet of a pedestrian on a shared path or sidewalk and to audibly warn pedestrians before passing. Violators could face tickets in the same manner as drivers committing a non-moving traffic violation. The bill also creates a safety task force within the state Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to issue additional recommendations on e-bike operations.

Motorists frustrated by license plate frames that obscure registration stickers or state identification markings may get relief under SB 488, which DeSantis is also set to consider. The bill clarifies a 2024 law by specifying that frames are legal as long as they do not cover the plate's letters and numbers or the registration sticker — responding to confusion over how much a frame could legally encroach on a plate's edges.

Two other transportation proposals did not make it to the finish line. A DeSantis-backed plan to eliminate yellow registration stickers on license plates passed the House 93-17 but never reached the Senate floor. A proposal to allow drivers with valid disabled parking permits to occupy more than one non-handicapped space — intended to address unintended consequences of a 2024 parking law — also failed before session ended.

A separate bill that cleared both chambers would allow the Florida Department of Transportation to fund 100 percent of a public vertiport's project costs if federal funds are unavailable, and up to 80 percent of the non-federal share if federal dollars are available, advancing the state's push to build urban hubs for short-range electric air commuter aircraft.

All bills now await action by DeSantis. Lawmakers are expected to return to Tallahassee in mid-April to complete the fiscal year 2025-26 budget.

This article was generated with AI assistance using publicly available information. It was reviewed and approved by a human editor before publication. TC Sentinel uses AI writing tools in accordance with FTC guidelines.