A federal appeals court on Friday sided with Florida in its challenge against the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention over federal regulations for cruise ships that the state said were costing it millions of dollars in foregone tax revenue.
The court did not explain the reason for the change, though the latest ruling came just hours after Florida brought the case to the Supreme Court, seeking to reverse the 11th Circuit’s previous move.
The CDC rules have hampered the cruise industry from returning fully to business amid the nation’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. Early on in the crisis, cruise lines were subject to a number of high-profile outbreaks.
A federal district court in Florida sided with the state last month in response to a lawsuit filed by Ashley Moody, the Republican attorney general. Over the weekend, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily halted that decision, which allowed the CDC rules to remain in place.
