TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) – A movement to get rid of a state law which requires international visitors to get special permits to drive in Florida gained momentum Wednesday when the House unanimously voted to repeal it.

The Senate Community Affairs Committee is scheduled Thursday to take up the Senate version of the repeal.
The requirement has particularly caused confusion and problems for Canadians who flock to the state each winter.

Rep. Daniel Davis, a Jacksonville Republican who sponsored the repeal proposal said lawmakers want to make sure they are sending a “strong message to international tourists that we’re open for business.”

The 2012 law was designed to help police who deal with traffic incidents involving foreign drivers. It required out-of-country visitors to get what are known as “international driving permits” before leaving home.

The state Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles said last month the Florida Highway Patrol would not enforce the law because of concerns the measure violates an international treaty on road traffic.

The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.