Prevent Gun Violence in Florida

Category Archives: What They’re Saying About It

See the Florida Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence covered in the press

Florida Senate rejects common sense amendments to SB 7030, allowing guns in Florida’s classrooms

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – On Wednesday the Florida Senate voted against multiple common sense amendments to SB 7030 that, among other things, would have removed full-time classroom teachers from the Guardian Program and allowed parents to remove their children from any classroom with a teacher carrying a firearm. Andy Pelosi, co-chair of the Florida Coalition to…

Stand Your Ground law needs changes, Orange County sheriff Candidates say

All three candidates for Orange County sheriff are calling for changes to the Stand Your Ground law, a controversial measure which has once again propelled Florida into the national spotlight in the wake of a deadly shooting. For full Orlando Sentinel story click here

Gun control that works: Safe storage saves lives

© Getty Images Analysis by The Hill: In his op-ed on May 24, pro-gun commentator John Lott contends that Child Access Prevention (CAP) laws will cost lives and that making guns more readily accessible is the answer to gun violence. The opposite is true. Significant evidence shows that CAP laws save lives, and the defensive…

Polls show most Florida voters spurn many NRA-backed policies of GOP-led Legislature

The Quinnipiac poll shows that a large majority of Florida Voters favor an assault weapons ban and want large-column magazines banned. They also oppose arming teachers. Click here for the the Politico Florida report on this recent poll.

Don’t Cut Corners on Background Checks. Carrying a firearm in public is a serious responsibility, and there should be no exceptions to requiring a complete background check.

A provision in Senate Bill 740 requested by Florida’s Agriculture Commissioner would allow Concealed Carry Permits to be issues without a completed background check. In this TBT’s Editorial analysis of background checks in Florida, it is clear why this is such a bad idea. Click here for the Tampa Bay Times Editorial. Click here for…

“Putnam Panders on Concealed Weapons Permits”: Putnam promoting a proposal to amend Florida’s gun laws to allow a concealed carry permit to be issued even before an applicant’s criminal background check is complete.

Tampa Bay Times columnist Daniel Ruth is clearly shocked by the lack of transparency of this addition to a comprehensive Agriculture bill, “Putnam snuck the “Background check! We don’t need no stinking background check finished!” deep into a 114-page bill regulating stuff like livestock, telephone solicitations and oyster harvesting. Oh, the mischief that happens in…

Florida Politics Coverage of News Conference: Linda Stewart: ‘It’s not too early’ to talk about gun reform, ‘It’s too late’

Casting aside any criticism politicizing tragedy, Orlando state Sen. Linda Stewart, Orlando state Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith and a statewide coalition demanded talks Wednesday on gun law reforms, particularly on their bills banning sales of semi-automatic weapon and high-capacity magazines in Florida. Read the full article here.

Pulse victim’s mom, state lawmakers urge action on assault weapons ban in this news coverage by the Orlando Sentinel

Mayra Alvear, whose 25-year-old daughter was killed at Pulse nightclub, on Wednesday urged Florida lawmakers to ban assault weapons, so other families would not have to suffer the “horrific nightmare” she endured. Read the full article here.

She was looking for candy in her grandmother’s purse. What she found inside killed her.

This is a tragic story in the Tampa Bay Times. One day last week, 4-year-old Yanelly Zoller reached into her grandmother’s purse looking for candy, her father says. Instead, she found a gun. She accidently pulled the trigger and was shot in the chest. In Florida one child is shot every 17 hours. To read…

Orlando Sentinel reports on impact of Florida Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence and other Gun Safety Groups, with the Legislative session ending with no major expansion of gun rights-for now.

“We believe that this is really not about the Second Amendment, it’s about public safety,” [Coalition Co-chair] Patti Brigham said. “It’s about what we saw at Pulse and what we saw at the Fort Lauderdale airport, I think that message is starting to resonate.” Click here for the full Sentinel story.