“It’s not the Democrats who are blocking pro-gun legislation, it’s the Florida Republicans in the state Senate who are blocking pro-gun legislation,” said Luis Valdez, state director of Gun Owners of America (GOA).
Valdez and other gun groups want Republicans to take action on several proposed bills that would strengthen gun rights at the state level.
Top of the list, open carry.
After the Florida Court of Appeals overturned the open carry ban, the debate over what areas open carry is allowed and where restrictions are imposed became clearer.
One argument being debated is that open carry would be treated the same as concealed carry, meaning places a person can and cannot carry, such as courthouses, Congress, bars and gun-free areas. Does open carry include long guns?
Gun columnist Bernie Bishop said: “I don’t see this as a black and white issue. There will be a lot of debate on the pros and cons of this topic.”
Another proposed bill that gun rights groups hope will get across the finish line would lower the firearm purchase requirement for long rifles from 21 to 18 guns.
In 2018, the state Republican Party raised the age after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
In recent years, there has been support in the state Legislature to lower the age, but the Republican-controlled state Senate rejected the effort.
Gun groups are less optimistic that Republicans are listening. “There’s always momentum at the start of the session and then it deflates. We’ve seen it all before,” said GOA Luis Valdes.
Logan Edge, executive director of Florida Gun Rights, said his group stands ready to help pass pro-gun legislation. But Edge also said he has heard that some Republican lawmakers may try to water down the court’s ruling on open carry.
Dustin Curtis, political director for the National Gun Rights Association, said Florida gun owners won a major victory after a state court ruled the open carry ban was unconstitutional, but said his group and other Second Amendment advocates won’t tolerate it if a gun owner gets stabbed in the back.
Governor DeSantis said he supports and intends to sign legislation that would allow open carry and lower the age for purchasing long guns.
