Senate and House committees in Tallahassee have given the go-ahead to a bill that would allow gun owners to carry guns without the license now required by state law. But now the proposal covers more and contains measures to increase safety in schools.
There are two strong currents fighting in Florida over the controversial proposal: those who want to loosen the rules on gun ownership and those who want to restrict them, especially after the Parkland massacre 5 years ago.
But now this proposal tries to satisfy both. For this reason, the right to bear arms and public safety were at the center of debate in the Judiciary Committee of the Florida House of Representatives.
Republican State Rep. Bobby Payne believes people who break the law will continue to break it, it just takes a step out of the gun licensing process.
For his part, Bracy Lavon Davis, the Democratic state representative, thinks easing restrictions on guns will not reduce crime because an armed society is not safer.
“I took a course that taught me the immense responsibility I have as a gun owner,” says Rep. Mike Gottlieb, a Democrat who knows all about stockpiling, arming , cleaning and security. While rejecting the fact that to date the bill removes the obligation of training in carrying a weapon.
Republican State Senator Alexis Calatayud explains that “during this session of the legislature, we are going to have a conversation about gun rules and we are going to have the opportunity for our community to have a voice in this. conversation and it will be a voice of common sense”.
But some say they are not being listened to in this conversation and it is more of a political ploy.
Manuel Oliver, the father of Joaquin Oliver, one of the 17 victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas School massacre in Parkland is standing up for ‘the truth before us. the number of shootings that have been seen not only in Florida”.
Since the assassination of their son Joaquín, Manuel and Patricia Oliver have fought in many ways for better gun control. Manuel Oliver even complained to the president for not doing more. And he claims the governor of Florida isn’t helping either.
Oliver, however, what he proposes to do is put things in a worse place than they are right now. Florida has a 13% weapon murder rate, this Constitutional Carry idea is going to put it at a much higher number. We copy states that do not show progress in this regard.
Under the name of “Public Security”, the proposal includes additional measures to improve security in schools such as the expansion of the program of armed guards in private schools, the establishment of a program for the use of dogs that detect firearms.
It also includes funding for police departments to provide firearms safety education to the public. The bill will reach the full session of the Senate and House at the start of the legislative session which begins on March 7.