Judge Upholds Norwegian Cruise Line Vaccination Requirement

The federal judge struck down Florida Gov. Ron Desantis' proposed ban on vaccine passports, saying it jeopardizes public health and safety.

A federal judge has temporarily blocked a Florida law that prevents cruise lines from requiring passengers to prove they’re vaccinated against COVID-19, saying the law appears unconstitutional and won’t likely hold up in court. The "vaccine passport" ban signed into law in May by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis fails to protect medical privacy or prevent discrimination against unvaccinated people, but it does appear to violate the First Amendment rights of Norwegian Cruise Lines, the judge wrote. Florida separately sued the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention seeking to block federal cruise ship vaccination requirements.