Judge strikes down Cuba travel ban

MIAMI, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- A federal judge has declared unconstitutional a Florida law banning professors from research trips to Cuba.

U.S. District Judge Patricia Seitz struck down a portion of the 2006 law prohibiting the use of state and non-state funds for travel to Cuba as a U.S. government-labeled state sponsor of terrorism, The Miami Herald reported Saturday.

In particular, Seitz ruled against a provision banning private funds from being used for such travel as "an impermissible sanction and serves as an obstacle to the objectives of the federal government.''

The judge's ruling came after an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit challenging the law on behalf of Florida International University.

''It was a mean-spirited bill,'' said FIU Faculty Senate Chairman Tom Breslin. "It was made to turn back the clock. I'm glad it's gone for the sake of academic freedom.''

But Florida State Rep. David Rivera, the original bill author, vowed to continue pushing for the ban.

''I think the judge has erred in her decision by overstepping into what is clearly a state issue in terms of budget authority, and I look forward to either an appeal of the decision or remedying her error through the budget process,'' he said.