{"id":2882,"date":"2024-02-20T23:32:49","date_gmt":"2024-02-20T23:32:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunsandpride.com\/?p=2882"},"modified":"2024-02-20T23:32:49","modified_gmt":"2024-02-20T23:32:49","slug":"fl-legislative-session-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsandpride.com\/?p=2882","title":{"rendered":"FL: Legislative Session Update"},"content":{"rendered":"


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We\u2019re over the half-way mark for Florida\u2019s 60-day legislative session. Here\u2019s what\u2019s happened so far.<\/h2>\n

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The Florida Republican supermajority has shown what they truly think of gun owners in the \u201cGunshine State.\u201d<\/p>\n

And it\u2019s clear that they think the protection and restoration of your Second Amendment rights don’t matter.<\/p>\n

Throughout 2023, Gun Owners of America worked with Rep. Mike Beltran to draft HB 1619<\/a>, a solid open carry and university campus carry bill.<\/p>\n

And what did the Republican House Speaker do within the first week of session? He stood on the steps of our capitol and proudly crowed that he was pro-gun, and then said his Republican colleagues “didn\u2019t have an appetite” to debate and vote on HB 1619.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Has that stopped GOA from fighting the good fight?<\/p>\n

Heck no! GOA took to the public airwaves and the newspapers to call out the Republicans and their failures to uphold their promises to voters.<\/p>\n

In USA Today<\/a>, GOA stated the following:<\/p>\n

\u201cRepublican lawmakers constantly campaign that they\u2019re pro-gun and the only bulwark to stop Democrats from eviscerating Floridians\u2019 gun rights. But the truth is, the actions of Florida’s top Republicans is that they don\u2019t care about Second Amendment rights,\u201d GOA\u2019s FL Director Luis Valdes said.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

And on 97.3 WSKY<\/a>, GOA has been a guest on the Bob Rose Show and has discussed how Republicans are anti-gun in their collective actions.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

GOA isn\u2019t pulling its punches either.<\/p>\n

Where is Governor Ron DeSantis on this issue? Last year, GOA got him on record to say he \u201cabsolutely\u201d supports open carry. Yet he has been silent on the issue. We\u2019ve called him out on that silence<\/a> too.<\/p>\n

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The Florida Phoenix<\/a> even recently reported on how GOA called out Republicans, including the Governor, for being lackluster on the Second Amendment:<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have a Republican House Speaker state that he and his Republican colleagues don\u2019t have an \u2018appetite\u2019 to debate and vote on open carry. You have a Republican Senate President state that repealing the under-21 purchase ban is a \u2018non-starter\u2019 Yet both have the nerve to campaign that they\u2019re pro-gun,\u201d says Luis Valdes, Florida state director of Gun Owners of America (GOA)..<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Valdes and other Second Amendment aficionados are also steamed at DeSantis for failing to push for an open carry law which he said he supported a year ago. That measure (HB 1619) was introduced at the beginning of the 2024 session by Hillsborough GOP Rep. Mike Beltran but was immediately dismissed by Republican leadership last month.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cGOA got him on record where he said he \u2018absolutely\u2019 supports open carry,\u201d Valdes says. \u201cWell, actions speak louder than words and the governor\u2019s inaction is deafening.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

And with all that happening, GOA still went to the capitol to fight for Floridians\u2019 gun rights.<\/p>\n

We fought for SB 1286<\/a> (Return of Weapons by Police), HB 1223<\/a> (Repeal of Under-21-Purchase Ban), HB 365<\/a> (Representation by Counsel in Hearings on Petitions for Risk Protection Orders), and HB 17<\/a> (Expiration of the Mandatory Waiting Period for Firearm Purchases).<\/p>\n

All four pro-gun bills passed through their committees with GOA\u2019s testimony and hard work.<\/p>\n

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Luis Valdes (GOA\u2019s FL Director) testifying before the Senate in support of SB 1286\u2019s passage.<\/p>\n

GOA also fought against gun control, specifically SB 270<\/a> (Further Restrictions of Shooting on One\u2019s Own Private Property) which was heard in the Senate\u2019s Criminal Justice committee.<\/p>\n

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Jed Carroll (GOA\u2019s FL Deputy Director) testified on why SB 270 is an assault against Floridians\u2019 Second Amendment rights. Sadly, Republican committee chair, Sen. Jeff Martin, sided with Democrats and passed SB 270 out of committee.<\/p>\n

The good news is, due to GOA\u2019s hard work, it appears that the next committee will not bring the bill up for debate. But that doesn\u2019t mean GOA will sit on the sidelines. We\u2019re going to keep you up to date on what\u2019s happening with SB 270.<\/p>\n

So, with that news. What else is happening in Florida?<\/p>\n

GOA will be at Florida’s 2A Freedom Fest<\/a> on February 24, 2024!<\/h2>\n

The event will be at 7700 SE 129th Place, Summerfield, FL.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Who from GOA will be attending?<\/p>\n