Federal judge OK's Norwegian Cruise Line requiring proof that passengers have been vaccinated, temporarily blocking Florida law banning such requirements

Miami —  A federal judge on Sunday night granted Norwegian Cruise Line's request to temporarily block a Florida law banning cruise companies from asking passengers for proof of coronavirus vaccination before they board a ship.

U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams granted the preliminary injunction in a lawsuit challenging the state's "vaccine passport" ban, which was signed into law in May by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis. In a nearly 60-page ruling, the judge said Florida failed to "provide a valid evidentiary, factual, or legal predicate" for banning vaccination proof. Williams also said the cruise line company "has demonstrated that public health will be jeopardized if it is required to suspend its vaccination requirement."