Florida Senate Kills Gun Rights Bill Again

We reported not too long ago how Florida lawmakers have been advancing a measure to decrease the age for buying a protracted gun—which had been raised to 21 again in 2018 after the mass homicide at a highschool in Parkland, Florida—again to 18.

Late final month, the state Home of Representatives handed Home Invoice 759 by a 78-to-34 margin. Nevertheless, some Republicans within the Senate had been wavering of their help for the measure, ensuing within the invoice sitting idle in committee.

Sadly for each potential younger gun homeowners and freedom in Florida, the mass homicide at Florida State College final week appears to have galvanized opposition to the measure and pushed some wavering supporters to the opposite facet. Consequently, possibilities of the measure passing this yr, regardless of Gov. Ron DeSantis’s full help for the measure, have dropped dramatically.

In actual fact, Gov. DeSantis has been on board with the thought because the very first of the legislative session.

“I can inform you that we, regardless of us saying we’re the Free State, regardless of us being like, ‘Oh, we’re this Republican conservative bastion,’ we’ve positively lagged on that subject,” Gov. DeSantis mentioned in his state of the state tackle. “The free state of Florida has not precisely led the best way on defending Second Modification rights. We have to be a powerful Second Modification state.”

On April 21, nevertheless, Senate Guidelines Chairwoman Kathleen Passidomo, a Republican, mentioned that her committee gained’t take up the Home measure that might decrease the minimal age. And whereas she mentioned the choice was made earlier than the capturing at FSU, the timing of the announcement is fascinating, on the very least.

“I haven’t modified my place in what number of years,” mentioned Passidomo, who was previously the Senate president. “I’ve been clear from day one which I’m not going to switch Parkland. I used to be there.”

Sadly for Floridians, this would be the third straight yr the state Home of Representatives accepted the measure and the Senate let it stall out. An NRA-led lawsuit in opposition to the regulation met defeat within the eleventh Circuit Courtroom of Appeals and might be heard by the U.S. Supreme Courtroom. Nevertheless, new Florida Legal professional Basic James Uthmeier doesn’t agree with the age restriction and has mentioned he won’t defend it in courtroom.

If Senate Democrats did make the choice primarily based on the latest murders at FSU, it’s apparent their determination was primarily based extra on political posturing than on a logical thought course of. The person who dedicated the atrocity used his stepmother’s responsibility weapon within the assault, so no restriction on age for buying firearms would have made a distinction within the matter. It was additionally a handgun, which the present invoice doesn’t tackle.

With 18-year-olds being eligible to vote and serve within the army, Florida’s regulation proclaiming that their Second Modification rights don’t take impact till they attain 21 is a slap within the face of all younger adults within the state. Sadly, with the Senate having no plans to contemplate the invoice, the state of affairs will proceed to infringe on the liberties of all 18-, 19- and 20-year-old Floridians.