Mitch Perry
In the wake of Sunday night’s massacre in Las Vegas where nearly 60 people died, Florida Republicans are indicating they will support a gun-control measure.
South Florida Rep. Carlos Curbelo said he will introduce a measure to prohibit bump stocks, a device that modifies rifles to allow them to fire faster.
Several of the 23 guns used by Stephen Paddock in his shooting spree were equipped with bump stocks.
Sarasota area Republican Vern Buchanan indicated Thursday that he would support such legislation.
Bump stocks generating automatic rates of fire should face the same restrictions as automatic weapons.
— Rep. Vern Buchanan (@VernBuchanan) October 5, 2017
Automatic weapons — aka machine-guns — are tightly regulated. Since 1986, the transfer or possession of machine-guns has been prohibited. Exceptions were made for transfers of machine-guns to, or possession of machine-guns by, government agencies, and those lawfully possessed before May of 1986.
However, in 2010, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ruled bump stocks were considered a part and therefore would not be regulated as a weapon.
California Democrat Dianne Feinstein announced a Senate version that would prohibit bump stocks. Florida Sen. Bill Nelson is a co-sponsor of the bill.
