GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Just weeks after Florida’s new open carry law took effect, Democratic lawmakers have filed more than a dozen gun control bills in the state Legislature — despite admitting the proposals face near-certain defeat in the Republican-controlled chambers.
The push includes measures to ban assault-style weapons, require background checks for ammunition purchases, and tighten storage requirements for firearms. None of the Democratic bills have been scheduled for hearings, while a Republican proposal to lower the minimum gun-buying age from 21 to 18 is already moving forward.
The GOP measure, introduced by Rep. Tyler Sirois (R-Merritt Island), is expected to face its first vote next week in the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee, where Republicans hold a strong majority.
Meanwhile, Democrats say their bills aim to promote safety and prevent tragedies like the 2018 Parkland school shooting, which killed 17 people and led Florida to raise the firearm purchase age to 21.
Among the proposals:
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“Jamie’s Law”, introduced by Sen. Tina Polsky (D-Boca Raton) and Rep. Dan Daley (D-Coral Springs), would require background checks for bullet purchases. The bill honors 14-year-old Jaime Guttenberg, who was killed at Parkland.
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Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith (D-Orlando) filed a bill to ban the sale of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
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Rep. Christine Hunschofsky (D-Coconut Creek) and Polsky proposed banning civilians from carrying firearms in government buildings, police stations, courthouses, and schools.
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Sen. Darryl Rouson (D-St. Petersburg) and Rep. Yvonne Hayes Hinson (D-Gainesville) filed bills requiring guns in vehicles or boats to be locked and hidden.
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Another Polsky bill seeks to expand penalties when minors access firearms and mandate safety demonstrations by gun sellers.
Daley, a Marjory Stoneman Douglas graduate, acknowledged his bill is unlikely to pass but said the effort matters.
“That doesn’t mean we stop pushing,” Daley said. “It’s about keeping people safe.”
Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter Jaime was killed in Parkland, criticized Democrats for not fighting harder and said he will continue advocating through his Orange Ribbons for Jaime Foundation.
“My motivation is simple — to stop the next dad from feeling what I feel,” he said.
Gun rights advocates, however, argue the proposals infringe on constitutional freedoms. Logan Edge, executive director of the Florida Gun Rights Association, said law-abiding gun owners aren’t the problem.
“Millions of people legally own firearms, and we’re not the cause of violence,” he said.
Recent court rulings have further emboldened gun rights supporters. A state appeals panel struck down Florida’s ban on open carry, and a Broward County judge ruled that the under-21 concealed carry ban violates the Second Amendment.
Despite the political odds, Guttenberg vowed to keep pushing.
“Gun violence is predictable — and preventable,” he said. “We just need the courage to act.”
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