Just last week, the Judiciary Committee of the Florida House of Representatives passed on a 14-6 vote something called HB-39, a bill affirming that a person who is licensed to carry a concealed weapon does not violate the law if the firearm is temporarily and openly displayed. Thats according to the Tallahassee Democrat, which tells us that NB-39 is one of 11 gun-related bills on the 2018 calendar.
According to the NRA, the bills purpose is to stop the abuse of law-abiding citizens whose legal guns arent properly concealed. Apparently, theres an epidemic of such abuse afoot in the Sunshine State.
The NRAs news item about the bill goes on to report: Every time a law-abiding personlicensed by the state to carry for protection leaves his or her home, legally carrying a firearmEVERYTIMEthey run the risk of that firearm becoming exposed to the sight of another person and then being treated like a criminal.
In probably three-quarters of the 50 states, this work grinds on week after grim weekthe NRA declaring its ownership of Republican state legislators, and them passing laws made to order. Some of the 11 bills being considered in Tallahassee are being put forward by Democrats, in the forlorn hope of bringing some sanity to the gun debate. Linda Stewart, D-Orlando, wants to prohibit the sale and transfer of assault weapons, specifically including the AR-15 used by Nick Cruz in Parkland.
But Republicans run the state House of Representatives by 76-41, and they control the State Senate by 23-15. So Stewarts bill probably doesnt stand a chance. In contrast, State Senator Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, who chairs the committee that handles most gun legislation, has filed five bills to make it easier to buy a gun. A year ago, after a shooting at the Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood airport left five dead and eight wounded, Steube reaffirmed his support for a bill allowing Floridians to carry guns in airports. Because of courseif some passengers had been armed, that would have fixed everything!