TALHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — A rare rejection has occurred at the state capitol as a Republican-led bill was voted by fellow GOP lawmakers. Senate Bill 814 allowed carriers on college campus to be concealed, but died at the first committee stop.
The bill was defeated because two Republicans were not in the room to vote in question. Also, it is unclear what the final outcome will be if it appears on the committee, but in future sessions, similar bills could be modified in the same way as they did in the past few years.
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Leading the law, Sen. Randy Fine (R. Melbourne Beach) says the second amendment will not rule out semesters.
“You have the right to protect yourself, and as you walked to college campus, that right won’t go away,” Fein said.
Opposition people argue that it is a dangerous move.
“It’s already a high stress environment for young people on university campuses, and they’re facing academic pressure. There’s mental health struggles, there’s social conflicts, there’s ramp-prolonged alcohol and drug use, there’s abuse and sexual assault. Here we’re adding firearms.”
Senate Bill 814 is expected to pass the first committee stop and pushed change to sponsoring the bill after university students faced threats on campus following the October 7 attack on Hamas.
“I’m completely intolerant of that. So if there’s a bill that talked about more funding for security, armed security for protecting students, I’d be all for it,” state Sen. Jason Pizzo (D-Sunny Isles Beach).
However, after a heated debate, the bill was voted with three ears and four denials.
“If schools don’t protect these kids, I’ll make sure they can protect themselves,” Fein said.
“I don’t trust kids with guns, that’s where I am. But some of the actions I saw last year are if my kids were held hostage like that, they would shoot someone.
News Channel 8 on your side reached out to the team of bill sponsors and had no further plans from the fine senator to change the bill or act on the law.
The House of Representatives’ fellow bill was withdrawn by former state MP Joel Ludman, who resigned in January.
