Bill would ease the way for Trump to build his presidential library in Florida

In just the first month after Donald Trump re-entered the White House, some of his strongest Republican allies in Florida have rushed to push out legislation showing props to the former New York City businessman now serving his second term as president.

Republicans have floated congressional proposals to carve his face on Mount Rushmore and to amend the 22nd Amendment to allow him a third-term in office. In the Florida Legislature, a lawmaker has filed a bill to change all state references from the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America.”

Now comes another legislative proposal from Tallahassee via Central Florida GOP state Sen. Jason Brodeur. He wants to ensure that no local government in the state interferes with any plans to construct a presidential library here.

Brodeur’s proposal (SB 118) would preempt to the state all regulatory authority over the establishment, maintenance, activities and operations of presidential libraries.

“As the home to the 45th and 47th president of the United States, there is a high likelihood that President Trump will select Florida to be the site of his presidential library,” Brodeur told the Senate Committee on Community Affairs on Tuesday. “In anticipation of Florida’s first presidential library, we should roll out the welcome mat and offer the president maximum flexibility to construct this historic landmark here in Florida.”

The legislation states that a county, municipality or any other political subdivision of the state “may not enact or enforce any ordinance, resolution, rule, or other measure governing the establishment, maintenance, or operation of a presidential library or impose any requirement or restriction thereon, except as otherwise authorized by federal law.”

The measure passed unanimously in the committee.

Trump has not yet said where he intends for his presidential library to be located.

In the defamation lawsuit brought by Trump that was settled with ABC News in December, the TV network announced that it had agreed to pay $15 million for the establishment of Trump’s “presidential foundation and museum.”