Brevard County Republican state Sen. Randy Fine has filed legislation (SB 814) that would extend concealed carry rights to Florida colleges and universities.
The state lawmaker — now running for a seat in Congress — has said over the past year that such legislation is necessary to protect students from “on-campus Muslim terror.”
The bill language says that a person “may carry a firearm on the property of any college or university, including, but not limited to, any dormitory or residence hall owned or operated by a college or university, and in any other location he or she is legally authorized to do so.”
The measure also says that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) may authorize a college or university, while hosting or sponsoring a sporting event, to designate a campus facility or area as a sensitive location in which possession of a concealed weapon is prohibited. To receive such authorization, the school must submit a security plan to the FDLE for approval.
Fine says that he determined to file the bill after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israel, in light of the “many universities around the country refusing to protect their students from on-campus Muslim terror.”
“The Second Amendment does not take the semester off when you step on a college campus,” Fine said in a statement. “Adults should have the right to protect themselves on campus, particularly after so many universities across America chose to protect Muslim terror advocates over their own students. There is no magic force field that keeps criminals from carrying a gun onto campus; this bill will ensure that students have the same rights on campus as they do off.”
Other potential gun legislation for 2025
Similar legislation has been filed nearly every year by Florida Republicans over the past decade without success.
Twelve states do not force colleges and universities to allow concealed guns on campus, according to Everytown Research & Policy, a gun-safety group.
Due to laws such as Stand Your Ground, Florida has gained the reputation as being extremely gun-friendly, sometimes labeled “the Gunshine State.”
But, in fact, the state does enforce more regulations on firearms than in many parts of the nation.
Take open carry: Florida is one of five states that do not allow the open carrying of guns, although that may change in this coming session. During his skirmish with GOP lawmakers over an illegal immigration bill, both Gov. Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis indicated support for open carry, with the governor saying it would “be great to see it hit my desk.”
The leadership in the GOP-controlled Florida Legislature has resisted proposals in recent years to repeal parts of the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act such as lowering the age to carry a firearm in Florida from 21 to 18 — Sen. Fine has filed legislation (SB 94) that would do that during the 2025 legislative session.
Fine is running in Florida’s 6th Congressional District in a special election slated for April 1 against Democrat Josh Weil and three non-party affiliated or third-party candidates. The district leans conservative, and Fine has been endorsed by Donald Trump for the seat. He has already submitted his resignation from the Florida Senate effective March 31.
The district includes Palm Coast, stretches to just east of Gainesville, and includes portions of The Villages.
–Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix
Thomas Hutson says
RANDY FINE “Motive”
Well, reading Pugsley’s “aka” Randy Fine’s attempt to offer a Senate Bill (SB 814) during the 2025 Florida legislative session. This bill would allow concealed carry rights to students attending Florida colleges and universities. Pugsley what are you afraid of? BOO, BOO, those damn dirty gun toting, college MUSLIM Terrorists Students. Boy Pugsley if you are that afraid stay away from campus. Personally, I bet you carry a gun into your bathroom, you need that much protection.
Do you think the voters in my Florida’s 6th Congressional District, feel the need to arm all Florida College Students? Who in the hell cares if Baby Mussolini and his wife support this bill. As for King Trump endorsing you, just another great reason for voters in the 6th District to support Democrat Josh Weil on April 1st. I am an NPA voter. Oh, and before you reds out there jump up and down, I am a 50-year law enforcement officer “retired,” and I support the second amendment, and both my wife and I have both a Florida and Texas concealed weapons license. I personally do not have a problem with open carry laws. Regardless, there is no need to arm college students, no matter how many guns are there, incidents will occur. If we continue to arm everyone, might as well go back to the old west days where everyone had a gun strapped on.
Merrill Shapiro says
Personally, I never liked Randy Fine. But now, thanks to this article, we all can get to know him as a loathsome human being. No one should remain silent while this kind of bigotry stains the halls, the walls and the floors of our state capital.
Dear Randy Fine,
Your Jewish tradition and mine call upon us to treat others as we would have them treat us. To suggest that students on Florida college and university campuses need firearms to protect themselves from “on-campus Muslim terror” means that you feel that Muslim students should arm themselves against “on campus Jewish terror, or Evangelical Christian terror, or Hindu terror.” Muslims are no more likely to be involved in terror attacks than any other group.
This suggestion of yours is nothing less than loathsome and disgusting. I, for one, urge you to retract your statement, and, for the safety and well-being of students on Florida campuses retract SB 814: Weapons or Firearms at School-sponsored Events or on School Property.
Sincerely,
Rabbi Merrill Shapiro
Palm Coast, Florida
Jay Tomm says
And to add….
” Muslims are no more likely to be involved in terror attacks than any other group”
The Quran specifically says you should kill infidels, or anyone that doesn’t align with Muslim beliefs.
Surah 3:151: “We shall cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve (all non-Muslims) …”
Surah 2:191: “And kill them (non-Muslims) wherever you find them … kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers (non-Muslims).”
Surah 9:5: “Then kill the disbelievers (non-Muslims) wherever you find them, capture them and besiege them, and lie in wait for them in each and every ambush …”
“Strike terror (into the hearts of) the enemies of God and your enemies.”
Surah 8:60
” I will instill terror into the hearts of the unbelievers, smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off them. It is not ye who slew them; it was God.”
Surah 8:13-17.
“I have been ordered to fight with the people till they say, none has the right to be worshipped but Allah.”
Al Bukhari vol 4:196.
No where in the Christian Bible, Hebrew Bible, Hindu teachings, or any other religion does it say things like this.
Pierre Tristam says
Jay, it’s impressive that you were able to cull this half dozen-odd collection of cherries off the Islamophobic hit parade, though your last line is inaccurate: if the same were to be done for, say, the “Christian” Bible, or better yet, Christian history, we would need something about the size of the Library of Congress to catalogue the genocides, the pogroms, the ethnic cleansing, the bigotry… well, you know. As a Christian, I’m sure you know your history.
JimboXYZ says
Definitely doesn’t make sense having a gun in your dorm. I wouldn’t want to be the roommate of the suicidal/homicidal one that reacted to their academic failures ? The only items a student or anyone employed by the University beyond a SRO should be armed with is a book, smartphone & calculator/computer. A motor vehicle should be used to commute rather than as a weapon of mass assault. It is what it is though ? I get the reason why someone would want to carry one for protection when there is an active shooter on campus from a perspective of being able to control that much of your destiny from a criminal active shooter situation. How that turns out there should be responsibility for the innocent victim they shoot just the same. That’s SYG concept in a nutshell. Ask the defendants in the Noah Smith case though how that turned out as the instigators & trying to twist cyber bullying/goading into innocence at the very least as their defense.
Joseph Barand says
Fine is and always has been an asshole, some people need to be stopped before they can damage everything they touch or think about. Maybe he needs to be Deported to Israel?
Laurel says
Rabbi Merrill Shapiro: Well said, thank you. This “us v. them” mentality is destructive.
Pogo says
@Baron Harkonnen — Randy, rides again
https://www.google.com/search?q=Baron+Harkonnen
Deborah Coffey says
Josh Weil for the U.S. House! We simply can’t afford to put another jerk in office.