• A late-night order from a federal appeals court dealt a major setback to Florida’s effort to lift restrictions the federal government imposed on the cruise ship industry in order to prevent outbreaks of the coronavirus, Politico reported. A panel of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals voted 2-1 to stay an order a federal judge in Tampa issued last month blocking the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s framework for allowing cruises to resume. The cruise business was abruptly shuttered by federal order in March 2020 following a series of mass infections aboard large ships.The appeals court’s one-page order offered no explanation for the decision beyond saying the federal government had made “the requisite showing” to obtain a stay allowing the CDC rules to remain in effect. The panel did indicate that one judge dissented. Gov. Ron DeSantis brought the suit and touted the ruling last month from U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday as a victory for Florida's economic comeback from the major slowdown in tourism during the pandemic. Florida could ask the full bench of the Eleventh Circuit to reinstate the injunction against the CDC policy or seek similar relief from the Supreme Court. When Judge Merryday issued the now-lifted preliminary injunction at DeSantis’ request on June 18, the judge said it appeared the CDC’s orders related to cruise ships exceeded its authority. The judge’s order was set to take effect at midnight Sunday if the appeals court had not acted. He also ordered both sides to continue discussions before a mediator about a potential compromise. While DeSantis has portrayed the lawsuit as an effort to rescue the cruise industry from the impact of the rules the CDC has imposed, cruise operators have not rushed to back the challenge to the federal rules.
