Miami-Dade's Cuban-American legislators push for Cuba travel regulations (penalizing travel)

Miami-Dade's Cuban- American legislators once again are pushing for laws regulating travel and business between the United States and Cuba.

Confusion swept over the face of some of the senators at a recent state Senate Commerce Committee meeting.

In front of the group was a proposal calling for more state regulation of travel agents selling trips to nations deemed as sponsors of terrorism by the United States. The bill's sponsors want to discourage Florida travel agents from arranging trips to Cuba -- which is on the U.S. State Department list of terrorism sponsors -- by requiring them to register with the state and pay a fee of up to $2,500.

But the idea was met with skepticism by several members of the Senate committee.

''International travel is perhaps not in the purview of Florida,'' said Sen. Steve Oelrich, a Gainesville Republican. ``I'm just very bothered by the whole concept. I'm very confused about this all.''

So goes another legislative session, where Cuba-related bills are being pushed full throttle by some of Miami-Dade's Cuban-American legislators but are met with hesitation by those outside of South Florida's circle of influence.

''Nobody understands it unless they've been through it. Some of them never will,'' said Rep. Eduardo ''Eddy'' Gonzalez, a Hialeah Republican, who along with Rep. David Rivera, the author of the Cuba travel bill, and Rep. Luis Garcia, a Miami Beach Democrat, are all pushing for measures related to Cuba.

''For us, it's personal because we grew up with our parents raising us with the American dream, but also telling us about how things were in Cuba before Fidel,'' Gonzalez said.

He has pitched a bill that would ban American doctors from practicing in the state if they traveled to Cuba for medical training.

The bill is seen as largely preemptive, considering only eight doctors have graduated from the Latin American School of Medical Sciences in Havana, none of whom live in Florida.

''I don't mind if other people criticize me,'' Gonzalez said of the measure. ``At the end of the day I follow my heart and stand up for things I believe in.''

Gonzalez's bill has gone nowhere in the House, with no committee votes scheduled. Its Senate companion, sponsored by Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla, a Miami Republican, has yet to be heard.

Rivera's bill, backed in the Senate by Sen. Carey Baker, a Eustis Republican, has had more traction. It is ready for a House vote, but still has three more committee stops in the Senate.

It would require travel agents selling trips to terrorist nations to register with the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

The companies would have to pay a fee of up to $2,500 -- which sellers specializing in trips to Cuba, such as Maria Teresa Aral, president of Miami-Dade based ABC Charters, say is ''over regulation.'' Aral says her company already answers to the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control, the State Department and other federal agencies that regulate travel.

''He's wasting taxpayer dollars,'' Aral said of Rivera. ``Instead of focusing on issues that impact all of Florida like taxes and insurance he's focusing on pandering to hard-line Cuban voters.''

Armando García, president of Miami-based Marazul Charters Travel, which specializes in selling trips to Cuba, said any extra fees will be absorbed by customers, and may cause some of them to look toward agencies based in New York.

''Not only do families have to deal with a long list of laws that keep them from traveling to Cuba, but now the ones that can go are going to have to deal with yet another ridiculous law,'' García said.

Rivera shrugs off the impact his bill would have on the vendors.

''These businesses are partners with Fidel Castro and his communist regime,'' he said.

``I have no sympathy.''

Another measure awaiting decision in the House is a proposal by Garcia, The Miami Beach Democrat, to pass a House memorial calling for the ''United States government to encourage free and fair elections'' in Cuba.

''It's a symbolic measure,'' Garcia said. ``Some may not understand, but for us this shows that regardless of how far we've come, we also have our cubanidad and have not forgotten where we come from.''

As the Senate committee discussed Rivera's bill, the Cuban-American senators' arguments were persuasive.

Sen. Gary Siplin, an Orlando Democrat, wanted to know why this was such a big deal.

''If Homeland Security doesn't consider this a threat, are they missing the boat on this?'' he asked.

''It's not only our responsibility to protect our soil, but to protect human rights,'' responded Diaz de la Portilla.

The travel agents ''are schemers and scammers,'' said Sen. Rudy García, a Hialeah Republican. ``A great number of them are in cahoots with the communists in Cuba.''

Soon after the speeches, several senators changed their minds, unanimously voting in favor of the bill. Even Siplin voted in favor.