Two Miami Democrats called Tuesday for the Legislature to hear bills dealing with gun control before the 2013 session ends, with several of those filed in the wake of the Connecticut school shootings having gone nowhere.
No one expects any major gun control legislation to pass in the GOP-controlled Legislature, but Rep. Cynthia Stafford said there should be at least a discussion of the issue.
“In order to have the discussion, both sides need to be heard,” Stafford said, joining Sen. Dwight Bullard in calling for several stalled bills to get a hearing.
Legislation carried by Bullard in the Senate (SB 362) and Stafford in the House (HB 123) would change the ‘stand your ground’ self-defense law. Stafford said instead of allowing someone immunity to shoot when they feel threatened, the bill would require an overt aggressive act.
“It’s no longer ‘I thought he or she looked dangerous,’ or ‘I thought I would be harmed or killed, so I used deadly force,'” she said. “This bill would help to eliminate those assumptions.”
The bill hasn’t had a committee hearing in either chamber. Stafford and Bullard said they’re frustrated by what they called a Republican-led blockade of gun-control bills.
Republican Senate President Don Gaetz, however, said other Democrats have gotten controversial bills heard. He pointed to Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood, whose domestic partnership bill got three hearings in the Senate Children, Families and Elder Affairs Committee, which Sobel chairs, before passing on Monday.
“The best advice I would give to Sen. Bullard is to just bear in mind that Republican Senate leadership is not telling people what to put on an agenda,” Gaetz said. “If he has a concern, he needs to go see the committee chair.”
Stafford and Bullard also called on Gov. Rick Scott and Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate the availability of black-market, military-style ammunition in urban neighborhoods. Bullard said some of his constituents were unable to leave their homes due to the violence around them.
“There’s a war going on outside,” he said. “We’re talking about drive-by (shootings) at one o’clock in the afternoon…children walking to school. We’re talking about church services ending and within an hour, people are dead.”
Both Scott and Gaetz have pointed to Florida’s crime rates, which are the lowest they’ve been in 41 years, as evidence that the state’s approach is the right one.
Bullard said the crime rate may be down overall, but in some parts of Florida, it’s rampant. He also said the media aren’t covering many of those stories.
–Margie Menzel, News Service of Florida
Mel Bronson says
Why take chances? Arrest everyone and throw them in jail. Problem solved!
confidential says
Lets vote out as many incumbents Tea Party GOP legislators as we can in 2014.
Those bozos standing by tables yesterday Tuesday April 2 afternoon, by the PC Post Office public right of way with banners telling us “Impeach Obama”, “Obama never again” and “Sequester Wall Street” do not realize yet, that they lost not once, but twice and indeed are big LOOSERS. Trying to brainwash the 47% plus the other 10% giving the impression that their advertised Sequester is the work of Obama when in reality is the work of their GOP buddies! And doing it almost on the Palm Coast USPS grounds, trying to tie Obama to the disastrous decision of ending our Saturday postal delivery that will create 80,000 more unemployed. A decision made by the current Fed Postal Master in cahoots with the 2006 GOP majority Congress disastrous legislation under Bush. That legislation to force fund the USPS pension system next 75 years in about only 10 years, something that is bankrupting our USPS since was enforced.
Isn’t the city of Palm Coast ordinance removing all banners or signs specially from public right of ways and even front businesses facades, example St Joe Business Center lately? If so, why is my public right of way by the Palm Coast Post Office in Pine Cone Dr. allowed for these extreme GOP, political banners display?
Legally says
Well, we’ve learned right? Their regulations will be just as effective as their bank regulations, you know, the one’s that strong armed banks into giving loans to people who couldn’t pay them back?? Yeah, those regulations.
Sherry Epley says
Rick Scott has been bought and paid for by the NRA! They have even given him an “A” rating. Where do you think the Stand Your Ground law actually came from? Feeling manipulated yet? Take a good read:
http://money.cnn.com/2012/12/20/news/economy/nra-states/index.html
GoodFella says
That looks like my suppresor on my Glock 45, works great!!!!
Mel Bronson says
The whining control freak liberals just will never learn. Criminals don’t follow or respect the law.
All these proposed anti gun, disarm America feel good bills proposed by the liberal left accomplish NOTHING. It is just about them getting control of the people and disarming them. Furthermore, criminals don’t give a damn about laws. Get it???? All the left is accomplishing is stealing consititutional liberty and rights from Americans. Which liberty will they steal next? You better think about it. The liberals are insane and power crazed. That is a fact.
kmedley says
Democrats are crying foul because they are not being allowed to debate a subject?! Isn’t that what happened to Republicans during the legislative process for Obamacare? To paraphrase Obama, Republicans won in the State of Florida and as Reagan would say, if you do not like that which is taking place in your State, you can always vote with your feet. I hear New York and its Liberal policies is doing just fine. Yes, sarcasm intended.
Stevie says
http://infogr.am/Gun-Facts-You-Need-To-Know
Democrats have had decades to come up with a plan to effectively protect our children. They have failed because they pursue lunacy instead of logic.
IMO says
How insane are these leftist socialists?
Now they are saying your child belongs to the state and not the child’s parents.
That is tantamount to saying your child is a “Slave On The Government Plantation.”
Karma says
Stevie
Please don’t let facts interfere with a liberals feeling.