Constitutional assault weapons ban filed for 2020
Alec Murrary holds an AR-15 assault rifle at the Ringmasters of Utah gun range, in Springville, Utah on December 18, 2015. RREUTERS/George Frey - GF10000270963

Alec Murrary holds an AR-15 assault rifle at the Ringmasters of Utah gun range

A proposed state constitutional amendment to ban assault weapons is coming into shape for the 2020 ballot, after the sponsor filed new language with the Florida Division of Elections this month.

The amendment, sponsored by Ban Assault Weapons Now (BAWN), would bar possession of “any semiautomatic rifle or shotgun capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition at once.” The restriction would not apply to handguns.

For those who already own the potentially barred weapons, they would be required to register the weapon “by make, model, and serial number with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.” Absent that, possession of the weapons after a year of the amendment’s effective date would be illegal.

BAWN is a Miami-based political committee primarily comprised of family members of mass shooting victims at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and Pulse nightclub.

The group earned attention earlier this year, with news they were teaming up with Americans for Gun Safety Now to push for passage of a new constitutional amendment.

No less than 766,200 signatures were required for amendments to appear on this year’s ballot. That number will likely rise for 2020.

The group’s definition of “assault weapons” will likely be a primary driver toward whether the measure will receive the 60 percent support required for a constitutional amendment to pass.

Advocates for gun control have gone back-and-forth with gun rights supporters over what constitutes an “assault weapon.”

BAWN’s definition, listed above, includes semiautomatic weapons, excluding handguns. that hold “more than 10 rounds of ammunition at once, either in a fixed or detachable magazine, or any other ammunition-feeding device.” Those devices include “any magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, or similar device for a firearm.”

The amendment also defines “semiautomatic weapons” as those which “fire a single projectile or a number of ball shots through a rifled or smooth bore for each single function of the trigger without further manual action required.”

The amendment would also exempt “military or law enforcement use” of assault weapons.

A violation would be considered a third-degree felony, and the measure would go into effect 30 days after it is approved by voters, if successful.

“Our goal is to take military-style firearms off the shelves, thus saving the lives of innocent people,” said BAWN Chairman Gail Schwartz back in September regarding the group’s support for this amendment.

A previous assault weapons ban had mixed success.

An explainer by the Washington Post detailed the federal assault weapons ban passed in 1994. That ban expired after 10 years, but that measure was littered with loopholes with easy workarounds.

Lawmakers sought to avoid effectively banning every semiautomatic weapon. But the loopholes they carved out led to many manufacturers working around the prohibitions that did exist.

It’s also unclear what effect the ban had on crime, according to a University of Pennsylvania study cited by the Post.

Mass shootings have appeared to spike in years since the ban expired, and many shooters utilize weapons which would be covered by the ban.

But mass shootings were also rare prior to the passage of the federal assault weapons ban. And multiple recent shootings, such as the Thousand Oaks shooting and the Santa Fe shooting, were carried out without rifles.

Still, BAWN will make its case that the amendment would do more good than harm. The group has raised nearly $410,000 through Nov. 1, spending more than $280,000 of that.

Ryan Nicol

Ryan Nicol covers news out of South Florida for Florida Politics. Ryan is a native Floridian who attended undergrad at Nova Southeastern University before moving on to law school at Florida State. After graduating with a law degree he moved into the news industry, working in TV News as a writer and producer, along with some freelance writing work. If you'd like to contact him, send an email to [email protected].


156 comments

  • Gerald Wickline

    November 26, 2018 at 6:46 pm

    This attack on the second amendment needs to be stopped !

    • UC

      November 26, 2018 at 7:26 pm

      How’s an attack of the second amendment?

      • Teddy

        November 26, 2018 at 7:49 pm

        Excuse me your not allowed to speak more than 10 words and I need to see your registration of speech.

        • Kenneth Duke Masters

          November 26, 2018 at 11:15 pm

          Exactly!

          • RJ

            November 27, 2018 at 10:57 pm

            The Virginia Tech shooter killed 32 with pistols. This will prevent zero shootings…

      • Richard Schulte

        November 26, 2018 at 9:01 pm

        Ar15 is not an assault weapon define assault assault is an action any weapon you assault someone with is an assault weapon brick knife gun hammer you people dont have a clue you can go into a place with 2 six shooters an kill just as many peopl assault weapon is a bogus term

        • Lorenzo Steven Drakeford

          November 26, 2018 at 10:52 pm

          The purpose is to incrementally disarm the citizenry. Only fools cannot see that

          • JDB Esq

            November 28, 2018 at 10:53 pm

            They’re not fools. Marxists and anti-American, yes, but not fools.

            The democrats goal is total confiscation. I wish that we could deport them all to Somalia.

          • Jerry R

            November 29, 2018 at 5:11 pm

            That is exactly what they are doing

          • REP

            November 30, 2018 at 12:32 pm

            Unfortunately, you are correct sir. We need to gear up now to fight this.

        • Justin

          November 26, 2018 at 11:35 pm

          You are right. The term I think they are referring to is something that has been banned since 1986 and that is fully automatic weapons. The only way you can own one is to first- go through a lengthy licensing and highly strict and expensive background check two- assuming you passed the aforementioned firearm has to have been manufactured before June of 1986 when the ban took effect and lastly Have between 15000-25000 for the damn thing. 98% of normal people can’t agford to eat a cheap ass McDonald meal. So shove it BAWN!!!

          • Lost Lake Ranger

            November 27, 2018 at 12:56 am

            This definition includes 10-22s since the mag holds 10 rounds. That little gun is not anything like a wespon of war.

          • Italian Rose

            November 29, 2018 at 12:55 pm

            Since you can buy 25 and 50 round magazines for your Ruger 10/22, it is an assault weapon, and I have always called it an assault weapon.

          • Tampa shooter

            December 7, 2018 at 2:55 pm

            http://www.subguns com … NFA classified ads. Full auto firearms are perfectly legal.

        • George S

          November 27, 2018 at 8:55 am

          Do you believe in periods, full sentences?

          • Money

            November 28, 2018 at 12:05 am

            That all you got.

        • Mark Evans

          November 27, 2018 at 10:48 am

          AMEN finally somebody with some intelligence speaks clear .thank you

          • RJ

            November 27, 2018 at 10:58 pm

            The Virginia Tech shooter killed 32 with pistols. This will prevent zero shootings….

        • Garry

          November 27, 2018 at 12:38 pm

          They are looking to get a starting foothold on banning all guns by starting with what they and the media hype as scary and dangerous guns. Once they get one ban in place then they will double down on the next, and then the next, until the 2nd Amendment is a fragile part of history. Done. Needs to be peaceful protests against all of their “rally’s” and protests; need to flood them with facts and not succumb to frantic innuendos and movie story lines that they consider real life actions.

          • Shawn

            November 28, 2018 at 5:01 pm

            Totally agree

          • Jerry R

            November 29, 2018 at 5:16 pm

            Totally agree with that one.

        • Paul G.

          November 28, 2018 at 3:37 pm

          Agree , those anti-gun retards uses those terms to make it sound very scary and get the majority of votes from the people that don’t know anything about guns , that’s why we should educate our neighbors, kids , families, everyone about the importance of owning firearms and properly use , any type of firearms , that way we can say Fuck you Antigunners .

        • Richard Champlin

          November 30, 2018 at 11:22 am

          You people are all fucking psychopathic. You simply don’t give a shit. You feel no social responsibility, yet you wrap yourselves in the 2nd Amendment. Thousands are dying every year in this country from gun violence, and all you can do is spew your filth about “guns don’t kill people, people kill people”. Or, “assault weapons are not assault weapons”. Go to Russia where they’d love people like you.

          • Chris G

            December 6, 2018 at 9:12 pm

            The problem is not “Gun” violence, it is Violence period!! Look over at England, they banned guns so the violent people started using knives and now in London they are banning knives. Stop attacking the tool/symptom and work at solving the core problem. There were plenty of guns in the past and we did not have these problems until we started to teach kids that life has no value, that there is no right or wrong. That everything is relative. Our society has shredded the values that this country was founded on and replaced them with NOTHING. Small wonder that things are falling apart.

          • Richard

            December 6, 2018 at 10:13 pm

            Calm your tits assault is an action not a weapon. And the gun violence is not from legally owned firearms, they are from illegally obtained firearms, by people who don’t give a shit about your “laws” so let’s punish those law abiding citizens for the actions of less than 100 criminals. You sound like the psychopath. This is America the home of the free not a socialist country where government controls all if that’s what you want that’s your opinion as stupid as that makes you.

          • Brian J

            December 6, 2018 at 11:53 pm

            Richard Champlin 30 years ago when Russia was communist you and your kind just loved them, now you see Russia as some shit hole because they are no longer commies.

          • Calvin Johnson

            December 7, 2018 at 10:34 am

            And the first amendment gives you the right to say/give your opinion…congratulations…you have exercised one of your rights that our constitution gives you…and if you feel so strongly about hating the second amendment…change it…if you’re not going to spend the time, money and effort to try and correct what you deem a fault in our system then hush…if you have done all the above, good for you…you have now exercised yet another right guaranteed by our constitution…see how this works

          • Dennis Albertson

            December 7, 2018 at 6:33 pm

            Richard Champlin, lets make this simple for your little mind. You want to hold law abiding citizens accountable for the acts of a deranged mind? That is way against what this country stands for. They do have the right to say that guns don’t kill people, people kill people. Just as much as you hate guns, that is thier opinion and it is just as valid as yours. How do you classify an asssult weapon? How fast it shoots? How many rounds it holds? What it looks like? Please let those of us who believe in the freedoms put forth by our forefathers in the Constitution. Why not also ban knives, I do believe that more people die of stabbing than guns. Or how about fists, baseball bats, bricks, or anything else that I can use as an assult weapon. Oh and before you start spewing your hatred at me, I do not own a pistol, or rifle, but I do believe in my rights to own one if I so choose to. Oh as to the social responsibility for someone who breaks the law, I have none, the should all be arrested and put away. My social responsibilty is to report those who break the law, or have even threatened violence. That is my social responsibility.

          • Psychosquirrel

            December 7, 2018 at 9:37 pm

            Thousands of people die and kill others from texting and driving.
            Strict laws have not prevented this in totality.
            So which should we ban? Cars or cell phones?

          • James

            December 8, 2018 at 1:48 pm

            I think it’s funny how liberals call Trump Hitler and then allow him to disarm the populace. who will stand up if he decides there won’t be anymore elections, no more Congress or house of representatives and declares himself king emperor Trump?

          • Gil

            December 9, 2018 at 8:06 pm

            Well aren’t you an angry little turd. I’m sure you know that far more people are killed with pistols and rifles. But thats ok. Keep on parroting what the establishment tells you to believe. One day you may actually develop your own opinion. But luckily for us folks like you will have successfully limited free speach too. So I won’t have to listen to you cry.

      • Niko Bella Khouf

        November 27, 2018 at 12:26 am

        ‘Shall not be infringed’

      • Richard Lewis Kemp

        November 27, 2018 at 1:02 am

        The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.all weapon laws and bans are a infringement of every Americans 2nd amendment rights.the second amendment cannot be removed or amended to do so would be a infringement therefore high treason and illegal,it would be an act of perjury Wich is treason and a felony in violating their oaths of office by violating and Waring against the Constitution of the United States of America,they cannot uphold the Constitution and war against it it is treason.

        • Mark Evans

          November 27, 2018 at 10:56 am

          That you speak is truth.and the militia will rise to protect freedom of state.many standing up for rights will die and socially be labeled as criminals because people are believing what ever the social media puts out and those of us who have sense and know guns inside and out know the difference .Our constitution cannot and will not be violated any further than it already has.

      • David

        November 27, 2018 at 8:37 am

        The right of the people to keep and bare arms SHALE NOT BE INFRINGED. The passage our forefathers wrote for us law abiding Americans .

      • Mark

        November 27, 2018 at 10:18 am

        It is an attack because it is our constitutional rights to keep and bare arms .just because there are deranged people that go on a rampage doesn’t give them the right to punish the millions that are responsible avid shooters that one day may save your lifeWAKE UP. Punish the criminals not the tool.

        • Able Freeman

          November 29, 2018 at 12:14 pm

          You have no “constitutional rights” you have inherent “individual rights” at least I do. Those rights can only be interfered with by not enforcing them each and every one of us! 🙂 <3

      • Travis Campbell

        November 27, 2018 at 12:55 pm

        It’s a ban of firearms, and the 2nd amendment endows American citizens with the right to bear arms. Rifles included! Is your comprehension really that low?!?!

      • Robert

        November 27, 2018 at 6:34 pm

        how is it not? assault weapons is a made up term to try to classify civilian guns as something they are not. No Army in the world uses AR-15’s for a standard rifle. This would include squirrel rifles, plinkers, duck and turkey shotguns, lever guns. Owning Arms is a Right, not a privilege, Are you ready to pay to take a course to vote and get a voting permit? before you can exercise the right to vote? but wait what about waiting periods to vote, you can’t vote more than once a year, and once every other presidential election because voting everytime is just too much power for the average citizen to have! Stop blaming lawful gun owners for the crimes committed by killers and that the authorities and school board tried to coverup their blundering by not arresting criminals when they are committing crimes so they get more money from the government. Parkland they let happen, and then refused to act once it did happen. These guns they want to ban are safely used millions of times each day or week. Billions of rounds of ammunition are sold each year, yet actual numbers of deaths are extremely low and on a actual decline for the last 20 years, despite what the media tells you. The media makes these nuts infamous and some other wacko sees this and wants to outdo them however they can. Stop making them criminal Rock Stars.

      • Tom

        November 27, 2018 at 9:32 pm

        Are you really that stupid?

      • Blue

        November 27, 2018 at 10:53 pm

        UC, are you intentionally obtuse? It is in violation of the U.S. Constitution and Florida Constitution. This is a chicken manure attempt to try direct democracy aka mob rule funded by Mikey Bloomerberg et al. You would think Deutch would know better than this given his grandparents were Jewish immigrants from Belarus, Russia fleeing Joe Stalin. I guess Deutch is a neo-Bolshevik hiding out in the modern Democratic Party.

      • RJ

        November 27, 2018 at 10:54 pm

        Ummm, this is an infringement on bearing arms. The same way taking away internet blogs and comments would be on the 1st.

      • Dominick Caisse

        November 28, 2018 at 1:44 am

        That’s easy, According to the founders of this country, the second amendment allowed the citizenry to have the same type weapons afforded the militia, and then the Continental army, to prevent any future government from having the ability to disarm the populous, in any effort towards tyranny. This would include fully automatic weapons, machine guns, etc. More gun related/violent crimes were prevented by gun owners, than were committed by criminals, but you’ll never hear about that, on any news report! We are never going to give up our God given rights to protect our loved ones, because NOBODY else can.

      • Pete

        November 28, 2018 at 7:18 am

        These laws do nothing but take guns out of law abiding citizens hands because if you didn’t know it but CRIMINALS DO NOT FOLLOW THE LAW. What is so hard to understand about that.

      • Daniel

        November 28, 2018 at 5:57 pm

        These people that want to take are guns have no clue about guns yea let’s make it where the only people that don’t have guns are the good people that way all the bad people can do what they want did I dumb this down so u anti gunners understand dumb asses come and try to take my guns good luck you will need it😎😎

      • D Benecasa

        November 29, 2018 at 12:17 am

        You dont know the second amendment any regulation that impedes or infringes a US citizen from owning a firearm of any type is an attack on a citizens rights, period.

      • Richard Upham

        November 29, 2018 at 6:25 am

        Have you not read the 2nd amendment or is it that you just don’t understand it?

    • Carlos

      November 26, 2018 at 8:41 pm

      Totally agree with you. It must be defeated.

      • Vincent Salomoni

        November 27, 2018 at 7:39 am

        Yes yes yes

    • Robert Brown

      November 26, 2018 at 10:35 pm

      Federal law states something like: ” The government does not have the right to grant privilege to it’s self, or to grant anyone else privilege, or to ever grant negitive privilege, or ever institute any form of privilege for payment.”
      They can not take away guns unless they give them up also. It is defined as Treason against the people in the law. Look it up I found it by accident @48 years ago.

      • Richard Lewis Kemp

        November 27, 2018 at 12:46 am

        Also article 18 u.s.c 241 and article 18 u.s.c 242 conspiracy against rights and deprivation of rights under color of law, every American needs to sue every anti gun activist and politician under these two statutes.and sue every politician in America for perjury in violating their oaths of office.

    • Robert L Hansbury

      November 27, 2018 at 2:39 am

      Robert:
      I’m off the subject a little bit but heroin that’s getting shipped into the United States from Afghanistan China and Mexico is killing or young kids 50 times more the rate then any assault rifle out there we’re getting off track as far as what we need fixed in the United States let’s stop wasting our time talkin about the Second Amendment assault rifles and handguns the biggest problem is the drugs coming into this country and the drug dealers selling that poison killing all our kids nobody wants to bring that up and nobody wants to fix that problem let’s get our priorities right whoever started this and make that number one priority assault rifles and handguns should be really not even a subject right now it’s horrible what happens with a mass shootings for the majority of the time it’s usually an illegal immigrant was in jail or in a metal Hospital’s..Let’s get on the right track assault weapons and handguns have been around forever and and the last 10 years there’s been on and off problems.. the people that are legal should not be penalized because of the people that are illegal and do not have the proper license or even have an illegal gun that’s 80% of the problem right there straighten that out because why should the people that Enjoy going to the gun range or wanting to have their own collection or want to protect their own family why should they have to suffer leave the Second Amendment alone and concentrate on the problem and that’s the people that do everything illegally if they are an immigrant from another country and our government needs to break down and send them back to their own country if they have a criminal record or a long Criminal rap sheet in the United States third ones that need to leave here because they’re part of the problem also…

    • Brian

      November 27, 2018 at 7:53 am

      YES!

      • RJ

        November 27, 2018 at 10:56 pm

        You are excited about this? You must know nothing about guns. The Virginia Tech shooter killed 32 with pistols. This will prevent zero shootings.

    • Rdbyrne

      November 27, 2018 at 2:28 pm

      It will be stopped.

    • Italian Rose

      November 29, 2018 at 12:38 pm

      Most mass shootings and most everyday killings are done with handguns. the definition needs to be:

      Assault Weapons – For purposes of this subsection, any semiautomatic weapon capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition at once, either in a fixed or detachable magazine, or any other ammunition feeding device.

  • Thom

    November 26, 2018 at 8:01 pm

    First ban ALL “SPORTS CAR & NASCAR STYLED CARS” the lives saved would be a thousand fold of the less than 6% of ALL homicides committed with a rifle of ANY type (FBI STATISTICS) Holy Cow.. you people are BEYOND STUPID.

    • Gary

      November 26, 2018 at 10:22 pm

      You can’t fix STUPID.

      • JT Moore

        November 27, 2018 at 1:10 am

        Unintended Consequences
        By John Ross
        These people do not understand that with which they are f_____g.
        Lets apply yhe same restrictions to yhe other Amendments. Books and printed word have have instigated most of the deaths caused by war.

    • Tom

      November 28, 2018 at 6:57 am

      Amen. By the way don’t forget plastic knives and forks used to bring down jet during the attack on this country maybe we should ban them to

  • David

    November 26, 2018 at 8:09 pm

    Take out the exception for law enforcement and military. What’s good for “The People” is good for “The Government”.

    • Mark Frabotta

      November 27, 2018 at 4:09 am

      That is so true. How come only police and military can have it sounds really fishy to me I know power.!!!!

  • JOHN B THAYER

    November 26, 2018 at 8:13 pm

    Mass shootings are a sign of a social problem, not a sign of a gun problem. I want everyone to have a gun or, if we can’t trust them with one, I want them either OUT of our state or IN CUSTODY OF THE STATE.

  • Joseph M Owens

    November 26, 2018 at 8:14 pm

    Educate yourself. According to FBI criminal records, less then 2% of all shooting bbn involve semi automatic firearms.

  • Aaron R Ping

    November 26, 2018 at 8:19 pm

    You can no longer post to the internet an opinion must either be wrote by hand or with a movable type printing press. You may either post a copy in the town square or make multiple copies for distribution. Conversely you can hire a town crier to repeat the message, but you must first get a free speech permit, and have a background check.

  • Christopher Hall

    November 26, 2018 at 8:29 pm

    Wow, this would be like a state putting up a constitutional amendment vote to allow slavery.

    This is the definition of treason. Charges need to be filed. In federal court.

  • Eddie tobascco

    November 26, 2018 at 8:32 pm

    Dont forget, 911 was a real event. That kind of thing could have been a lot worse if all civilians were not armed. We are the ones who will fight if all else fails. Think about that for a moment. Second on the list is the golden rule. Learn it!! Teach it.

    • Eric

      November 26, 2018 at 11:49 pm

      Do you also realize that the only reason the Japanese didn’t follow threw on a mainland invasion during wwII had nothing to do with our military strength it had to do with our general populous being better armed than them. That is what general Yamamoto said to his superior when it was suggested that they do just that. He said “ that’s a stupid move ther is a rifle shotgun or hand gun under every rock every door and on everyone over there”. Put that in your pipe and smoke that wisdom BAWN!

      • Tom

        November 28, 2018 at 7:11 am

        Yeah but it’s ok to go kill third world people for these liberal idiots just not ok to protect yourself in your own country

      • Mark

        November 29, 2018 at 7:51 am

        I believe the quote says something like” You can not invade the mainland United States, there’d be a rifle behind each blade of grass”. Though, historians claim that quote is fiction as there’s no written record of him ever saying that.

    • James

      November 26, 2018 at 11:51 pm

      Do you also realize that the only reason the Japanese didn’t follow threw on a mainland invasion during wwII had nothing to do with our military strength it had to do with our general populous being better armed than them. That is what general Yamamoto said to his superior when it was suggested that they do just that. He said “ that’s a stupid move ther is a rifle shotgun or hand gun under every rock every door and on everyone over there”. Put that in your pipe and smoke that wisdom BAWN!

    • Valerie Sprieser

      November 27, 2018 at 2:57 pm

      Yep 911 was real and the deadly weapon was airplanes flying into buildings!

  • Jeff

    November 26, 2018 at 8:43 pm

    What about abortion. You kill millions every year . But thats ok . Cause your doing the killing ,is that right. My guns have killed no one.

  • Destro

    November 26, 2018 at 9:01 pm

    A constitutional amendment to effectively bar law-abiding Floridians from exercising a Constitutional right… does anyone else see the irony in this?

  • Destro

    November 26, 2018 at 9:07 pm

    So rifles, of any type, are used in less than 3% of all gun crimes, and semi-automatic rifles, specifically, are used in approximately 1% of gun crimes… more people are killed by fists and blunt-force weapons every year than by semi-automatic (or modern sporting) rifles. What’s next – baseball bat control? Tire iron control? FIST control??? Come on people, wake up and realize that “gun control” is really “people control”, and stop bowing to your elitist “masters”!

  • James Sawyer

    November 26, 2018 at 9:14 pm

    Well it seems to me that gun-free zones are the problem and easy targets. Plus this is coming from democrat county’s. Don’t make Florida Chicago.

  • Destro

    November 26, 2018 at 9:14 pm

    I’m working with a small (but growing) group of like-minded individuals to get a “Affirmation of Constitutional Rights Amendment” on the 2020 ballot. This amendment would make clear that no law or amendment to the State constitution may violate ANY rights guaranteed under the Bill of Rights to the United States Constitution, including, but not limited to: freedom of speech, the right to keep and bear arms, and due process rights. At the very least, this amendment would cancel out the BAWN amendment if they both passed. You will see more information on this in the next few months. Stay tuned!

    • Roger Ward

      November 27, 2018 at 12:47 am

      Please post on Social Media as soon as you can.

  • Rick Kelley

    November 26, 2018 at 9:17 pm

    Why is it that the activities of the criminal element are what determine the restrictions imposed on law abiding citizens ?

  • Ken vanwie

    November 26, 2018 at 9:25 pm

    This is a first step to bar all guns in the state of fla. The next election cycle they will have another amendment on the ballot, dont be fooled, this is the snowball affect.

  • Danie

    November 26, 2018 at 9:57 pm

    This is the beginning of a dangerous state of affairs.

    It’s not at all surprising that we’d take the dumbest possible route. It’s the gun, not the person with “mental health” issues that is the problem

  • Phil

    November 26, 2018 at 10:00 pm

    This is the result of of dumb ass liberals. Give them enough time and they will disarm the whole country. Then see what will happen when we are all at there Mersey.

  • Eugene Pell

    November 26, 2018 at 10:14 pm

    This reminds me of how many in Florida fought statewide concealed weapons permits, claiming the streets would become dangerous and through hyperbole and lies got thousands to try and obstruct carry permits. Turns out they were wrong and aside from the .0001% of licensed concealed weapon permit holders who ran afoul of the law, 99.999% obeyed the law and had the means to protect themselves.

    This proposal is nothing more than an attempt to usurp the 2nd Amendment.

  • Free Citizen

    November 26, 2018 at 10:21 pm

    Since the point of 2A is to protect citizens from a tryanical Gov’t, we should remove the “except law enforcement and military” clause of this amendment and see who still supports it. The Gov’t passing a law that makes it easier for the Gov’t to opprese us. Concerning? Yes. Perhaps we should try and pass a law that says they can jail us without a trial. Think how much safer our communities would be if they could just round up undesireables without due process… NO THANKS!

  • James

    November 26, 2018 at 11:09 pm

    So much for gun control…”On the evening of 14 July 2016, a 19-tonne cargo truck was deliberately driven into crowds of people celebrating Bastille Day on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France, resulting in the deaths of 86 people and the injury of 458 others. The driver was Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, a Tunisian resident of France”. Wikipedia

  • James Swiderski

    November 26, 2018 at 11:21 pm

    Common sense. But bans.should.extend further to limit all but revolvers and only then for those firing 38 caliber rounds. 2nd amendment protects the right of personal defense only. One six shooter per adult is enough. The current court would uphold such a ban against a legal challenge.

    • Scott

      November 26, 2018 at 11:37 pm

      Sol, you are Trolling? or you are actually that completely ignorant?

    • Grigori

      November 27, 2018 at 12:42 am

      James Swiderski

      What a totally stupid idea!

    • Clark

      November 27, 2018 at 1:45 am

      Can’t fix stupid, not even w/duct tape. You’re either a troll or terminally stupid. But what could a cop know you don’t sparky?

  • Scott

    November 26, 2018 at 11:34 pm

    Doesn’t matter if it gets 60%. It only matters if five to ten percent of citizens refuse to submit and are willing to back that refusal with lethal force. If you leftists extremists don’t want a war you have no chance of winning then stop pushing people.

    • Jim Morant

      November 27, 2018 at 1:25 am

      Breaker Morant

  • Mike Sessa

    November 27, 2018 at 12:01 am

    Since when can an electorate vote to ban a fundamental liberty and a constitutional right? This qualifies as a tyranny of the majority if it were to pass. Something that is not tolerable in a free society and a constitutionally limited republic.

  • Clark

    November 27, 2018 at 1:56 am

    Notable how few supporting comments, huh, ryan? & your bias (or incompetance) is showing, as 4, count ’em, four agencies, including the FBI & DOJ, wrote reports ALL saying there was NO positve impact on crime, mostly bc all long guns are used in ~3% of all crime. Abt 94% is handguns, most in the hands of prior felon bangers, who SHOULD face 5-10yrs under seldom prosecuted EXISTING law. But what vould an old cop know you don’t, eh?
    Chicago, alone, exceeds the tragic toll of school shootings, since 1980, every 6 months, despite draconian gun laws!

  • Sk

    November 27, 2018 at 2:01 am

    Did ya read that part, violation will be a felony..!

  • Bronx Tsle3

    November 27, 2018 at 4:27 am

    Come and take it!

  • Rich

    November 27, 2018 at 4:35 am

    Let’s just ban stupid people and everything will be great again.

  • Berzrkr50

    November 27, 2018 at 7:51 am

    Included in the bills language is the mention that the AR-15 is “A vewy scawy wooking weapon”…

  • Donna Coles

    November 27, 2018 at 9:02 am

    We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. Our right to Life, liberty & pursuit of happiness Trump’s all

    • Greg Newkirk

      November 28, 2018 at 12:12 pm

      Missed that provide for the common defence part.

  • Glendon Roger Boothe

    November 27, 2018 at 10:54 am

    This proposed ban is nothing less than a defacto ban on modern firearms, to render law abiding citizens everywhere in Florida helpless. It would be another defacto death by slow cuts of the Second Amendment to keep and bear arms in the Sunshine state. If this ill conceived measure passes, Floridians will have a retarded state just like California, where criminals skirt around the ban, and law abiding citizens are either rendered helpless or made into criminals themselves. Dont let California happen to you. Out west here we have had one assault weapons ban after another, and the bad people always acquire their weapon of choice anyway. This proposes ban also targets many traditional sporting arms, such as the Ruger 10/22, the Remington 742 or 7600. The historic m1 carbine would be banned.

    • Rip

      November 27, 2018 at 12:37 pm

      Well said…these laws do nothing…just a way for some to say,” yea we did it”
      Did what? Except hurt law abiding citizens as you stated..

  • Joel Cronin

    November 27, 2018 at 11:44 am

    If it does pass, me and any of my relatives will forever stay out of Florida.

    • Valerie Sprieser

      November 27, 2018 at 3:03 pm

      Yes! Don’t let the orange door hit you!
      Leave your assault weapons behind glass!

  • Rip

    November 27, 2018 at 12:34 pm

    Do they actually think criminals will follow the law? That’s what makes them criminals..ah duh…only puts restrictions on law abiding citizens,,, great let’s make Florida another California…there’s other ways to stop the shootings, but do you think this will? Come on now…

    • LUIS GALEANO

      November 27, 2018 at 3:50 pm

      Make it another Chicago while we are at it!
      Since that is going very well over there.
      You don’t here about all the shooting and crimes there in the MSM.
      🤔

  • Michael D SethHunter

    November 27, 2018 at 12:39 pm

    So let’s think about this for a moment. They want to ban “assault rifles” and leave handguns alone? Did they not pay attention to what just happened in Thousand Oaks? This is nothing more than a feel good measure. While it’s intentions are Noble, it will not produce the desired results, and will unarm lawful citizens. The purpose of 2a was never meant for hunting.

  • Richard Latshaw

    November 27, 2018 at 1:04 pm

    Well I guess this could decide it for me. I’m planning on retiring soon. No AR’s no me. That’s okay!!!! There are better places.

  • UC

    November 27, 2018 at 1:25 pm

    Did you guys even read the amendment on the FL site before making silly comments?

  • Valerie Sprieser

    November 27, 2018 at 2:31 pm

    Sign me up!!!!!
    Florida is the most dangerous state to live in after Texas!
    How msny more kids and people have to die until Floridians come to their senses!😨

    • LUIS GALEANO

      November 27, 2018 at 3:53 pm

      Really?
      So where do you leave Chicago? Detroit? Seattle?
      Florida is nothing compared to those cities!

    • CG

      November 27, 2018 at 5:38 pm

      How stupid can you be? Unarming people by any means, this amendment or others, is the first step to watching more people die. The less protected a society, the easier it is for the criminal element to emerge. As others have stated, Chicago is a perfect example of this. You liberals make me sick trying to strip rights from everyone. Go live in NY if you dont like the way our state is.

    • Tom

      November 28, 2018 at 7:51 am

      My friend put his guns on the dining room table yesterday and none of them have killed anyone yet guns don’t kill people. People kill people

  • Christopher Hall

    November 27, 2018 at 3:09 pm

    You are flat clueless.

  • Gt

    November 27, 2018 at 5:17 pm

    Where do I sign?

  • Paul DF

    November 27, 2018 at 5:26 pm

    Socialists will always work to disarm the populous. They cannot force their will upon armed people. They dress up their evil plans in nice phrases and posters, “It’s for the children!” and “common sense” and “everybody agrees”. In reality; it’s just the constant drumbeat of socialists wanting tyrannical power over everyone.

  • Jim

    November 27, 2018 at 5:29 pm

    Assault requires intent, therefore it is an act of a person, as an inanimate object cannot possess intent. The assault weapon is a weapon used by the perpetrator of the felony of aggravated assault. The weapon could be any instrument capable of causing harm, for example a knife, hammer, brick, a handgun or any rifle.

    Would a 22 caliber rifle that had a 12 round magazine, be considered an assault rifle. It is not the weapon, it is the intention of the perpetrator, their actions, that make it a weapon used in an assault.

    For example: If a person assaults a group of people, killing them with a machete, they are just as dead as if shot by a firearm. The machete doesn’t have to reload.

  • Sandra

    November 27, 2018 at 9:09 pm

    And I suppose you have a plan to get the guns from criminals? No one ever talks about that yet you constantly want to grab guns from law abiding citizens since that is the ONLY people who will follow this bull. All you are going to do is make it easier for criminals to commit crime. Shame!

  • Glendon Roger Boothe

    November 27, 2018 at 9:17 pm

    The bad people and their weapons they shouldn’t have are already out there. Another gun ban only disarms decent citizens, to allow the criminals and crazy to have a free for all field day to Rob and murder defenseless citizens!

  • Glendon Roger Boothe

    November 27, 2018 at 9:37 pm

    Don’t be a California style retard! We are stuck with everything in the way of gun bans and restrictions you can think of, and have one of the highest crime and murder rates around! Do you really think an active shooter is going to worry about acquiring their weapons of choice lawfully so as not to violate any little rules?

  • Taige Adair

    November 27, 2018 at 9:39 pm

    Just because you call it a constutional ban doesn’t make it so.

  • Glendon Roger Boothe

    November 27, 2018 at 9:44 pm

    Gun grabbing, gun bans, and liberalism are a mental illness. Better send those cases to the funny farm. We could name it Cracker Box Palace of libtards

  • RJ

    November 27, 2018 at 11:01 pm

    The Virginia Tech shooter killed 32 with pistols. This will prevent zero shootings. You are stupid if you actually believe this would save any lives.

  • bear

    November 27, 2018 at 11:11 pm

    “But mass shootings were also rare prior to the passage of the federal assault weapons ban.” So why did they feel the need to ban it? You’re so disingenuous you can’t help but include a logical fallacy in this shit show attempt at being unbiased.

    • bear

      November 27, 2018 at 11:13 pm

      “Still, BAWN will make its case that the amendment would do more harm than good. The group has raised nearly $410,000 through Nov. 1, spending more than $280,000 of that.” Do you mean more good than harm? What side are you on? Who the hell proofreads your articles?

  • Taylor

    November 28, 2018 at 8:02 am

    So are they planning to do the same for cars?

    Vehicular assault is by definition an assault, and sense the automobile is the weapon, it is by its use, an assault weapon and therefore should be banned based on this ridiculous law.

  • Gandu Chudia

    November 28, 2018 at 10:43 am

    Will not comply, they need to hear that from all of us. Ban all you want, you cant put us all in jail.. We need to find who is behind it and out them.. and we also need to make sure they never try it again. Make their ban attempts COSTLY, make it hurt them in the wallet. They no longer fear us, its time they fear us again.

    • MULESKINNER

      November 28, 2018 at 1:39 pm

      Wallet?? you going to shoot their wallet? No…make it hurt them by shooting them…

  • Robert

    November 28, 2018 at 11:50 am

    The guns are not the cause. The people are. People get killed with cars every day. Does this mean we need to ban cars too? Taking guns away wont solve anything because the people will just find something else to cause harm with.

  • Tim

    November 28, 2018 at 12:10 pm

    Well Florida you need to vote all those pos out of office you barley squeaked by in this last election here in pa we lost big time to the dems and their liberal sponsors my thought is not enough conservatives get out and vote people think their vote doesn’t count well it does we need to get these liberal anti-americans out of office. We as conservatives will never understand the liberal mental health logic they have

  • Joseph M Owens

    November 28, 2018 at 12:28 pm

    Explain to me how exactly. If passed. This will effect criminals who already disregard the law? It won’t you clueless idiot’s. As usual, anti gun nuts attacking law abiding gun owners.

    • MULESKINNER

      November 28, 2018 at 1:37 pm

      They won’t answer…gun control isn’t about public safety, it’s about controlling you..

  • Brian Smith

    November 28, 2018 at 12:34 pm

    The only people affected by this law , when and if it goes into affect, will be the law abiding citizens. Criminals will still get their hands on them. That’s why we call them criminals.

  • MULESKINNER

    November 28, 2018 at 1:35 pm

    Dear Florida, your state constitution does not override the US constitution, so your amendment is null and void before it’s passed and even if it somehow magically gets through the court, who among you is going to volunteer to go kick in doors to take them? Only a suicidal fool would volunteer…

  • DERICK BEARD

    November 28, 2018 at 4:18 pm

    Can someone please explain to me how ANY gun law has stopped or would stop any shooting this year?

  • Steven

    November 28, 2018 at 6:02 pm

    Why don’t they just go ahead and place a ban on assault pistols, assault baseball bats and assault knives too. Any weapon can be used for either assault or defense. It has been stated in previous posts and needs to be reiterated. You are effectively disarming the law abiding citizens from being able to defend themselves against the criminals that will wipe their asses with your gun ban. Good luck defending yourself with those pretty words.

  • Tramp

    November 28, 2018 at 6:57 pm

    They have a NO vote here.

  • Don Law

    November 28, 2018 at 8:02 pm

    Mark my words … if this passes they will call any gun with a scope a Sniper Rifle…. and they will go after them…. this is an attack on our Constitutional Rights…

    • Italian Rose

      November 29, 2018 at 12:44 pm

      Rifle scopes need to be controlled by the ATF like silencers.

  • Ken

    November 28, 2018 at 8:42 pm

    Guess my Marlin Model 60 is at risk, all 14 rounds of .22.

  • Ken

    November 28, 2018 at 8:45 pm

    These people have peas for brains, I can hear them rattling around.

  • Robw

    November 28, 2018 at 9:52 pm

    The exact number of assault weapons in America is unknown, but the latest estimates say there are up to 9 million. Now, every year there are on average about 300 to 400 people killed by ALL rifles. Assault rifles are responsible for just a very small percentage of them. It’s estimated around 50 deaths by assault weapons as an average, although I think that number is even high, except in years when there is a mass shooter using them. Again, there are no statistics kept. So assuming every one of those murders were committed with a different weapon, that would mean that approximately 0.000555555555556 of all assault weapons were used to kill someone each year. That means that 99.99994% of all so-called assault rifles are not used for killing. Since assault weapons do often claim more than one life, the actual number of assault rifles not used to kill someone is even higher. So-called assault rifles are used in less than 0.003% of all murders a year. There is absolutely no reason to go after these guns except as being the first step to total confiscation of all guns.

  • Italian Rose

    November 29, 2018 at 12:42 pm

    Most mass shootings and most everyday killings are done with handguns. the definition needs to be:

    Assault Weapons – For purposes of this subsection, any semiautomatic weapon capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition at once, either in a fixed or detachable magazine, or any other ammunition feeding device.

    In addition, the grandfathering with registration provision must be removed. Hand them all in, every last one of them.

    • Tom

      November 30, 2018 at 2:25 pm

      Everybody read the above, this is what they want. Then when they get this, they will come back for more.

    • Nicholas Evans

      December 2, 2018 at 6:48 am

      By handing “them all in” you are also disarming and firing people that work in the private armed guard industry in Florida that is regulated.

      Those same people that protect schools, banks, churches, and gated communities would be without a job and crime would also increase in those areas. And don’t say, “well the police can take care of that”. There is not enough police to replace the hole of over 2 million jobs now going vacant over night because of one womans “emotions”.

      Guns are a major part of our American culture. Removing them entirely would be impossible to not cause negative out comes in the increase of crime as well as economic issues.

  • bear

    November 29, 2018 at 10:58 pm

    Since you can drive 100mph in your car it’s an assault car and I’ve always considered it one

  • mark

    December 1, 2018 at 7:17 am

    need to start rallying, this is a infringement on the 2nd (the right to KEEP AND BEAR ARMS, means all ARMS) and they wont stop here, handguns will be next, the guy in cali..used a glock 45 acp and had a high cap mag…there is a mental problem in the country make a way peeps with mental issues to not have guns, not law abiding citizens, are u gonna ban alcohol because of drunk drivers???? liberal democrats are stupid

  • fedora 22 live usb

    December 3, 2018 at 2:59 am

    What makes their conversation starter any compared to
    yours or anyone else’s for that matter? You must
    make an response as to what you just read.
    The bottom line: Staying afraid often keeps us from truly living.

  • Colby

    December 3, 2018 at 3:40 pm

    Criminals don’t follow gun bans. All what is happening is causing good citizens to go without protection.

  • Eduardo

    December 5, 2018 at 4:27 am

    I think that everything published was very
    logical. But, consider this, suppose you added a little information? I ain’t suggesting your information isn’t
    good., but suppose you added a post title that makes people desire more?
    I mean Constitutional assault weapons ban filed for 2020 – Florida Politics is
    a little boring. You could peek at Yahoo’s home page and note how they
    write post headlines to get people to open the links.
    You might add a related video or a pic or
    two to grab people interested about everything’ve written. In my
    opinion, it might bring your website a little livelier.

  • Tabitha

    December 5, 2018 at 4:52 am

    Hi there to every one, the contents present at this web page are genuinely amazing for people knowledge, well, keep up the good work fellows.

  • Ryan

    December 7, 2018 at 12:28 am

    I hope everyone is ready for another civil war. Because We the People will not give up our guns. They are part of our culture. The issue with your weapons ban is that it is completely Unconstitutional. I understand why the law makes sense to you. But you forget. We the People have the right to overthrow a Tyrant Government. I promise you. You are not ready for that fight. And we are. We have something to fight for. You just want Martial Law. We beat you last time. Do you really want round 2. Because if you do, we will be using our guns. Since you think we shouldn’t have guns, you cant use them, you have to continue to try to prove your point. If you pick up a gun to save your life or a loved ones life, you are a hypocrite. We have the right to defend ourselves with the same capabilities as a criminal.

    “I would much rather go to my grave never needing my gun, than go there wishing I had it”.-unknown

    Your weapons ban proposal effects hunting rifles too. You are ONLY pissing off law abiding citizens. Do you really think CRIMINALS are going to follow your ban? No. They dont follow the laws you have. Did you know that your deranged laws are what causes crime rates to skyrocket.

    We dont have a gun problem in this Country. We have a drug problem and a government that thrives on it. Yall basically fund the drug crisis.

    You want to know what the real problem that you should be more concerned about? Why are narcotics free for overdosers? Why isnt insulant free for people with diabetes? Why does kids epi-pen cost an arm and a leg? That should be free.

    This is a Free Country. If you dont like it then get out. Go somewhere where guns arent allowed. See how That goes. You are entitled to your opinion, as am I. You can speak your mind, as am I.

  • kevin green

    December 7, 2018 at 2:37 pm

    How many men with rifles does it take to occupy a state capitol building? And WHO is going to dislodge 500 guys with rifles? Do you really think the police will attempt that? The National Guard going to fire on Militia?The Guard is good loe boys from rural areas They are not firing on Americans. If a state Capitol building is occupied does that mean government shuts down? I
    d this even illegal?

Comments are closed.


#FlaPol

Florida Politics is a statewide, new media platform covering campaigns, elections, government, policy, and lobbying in Florida. This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media.

Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL

Contributors & reporters: Phil Ammann, Drew Dixon, Roseanne Dunkelberger, A.G. Gancarski, Anne Geggis, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, Cole Pepper, Gray Rohrer, Jesse Scheckner, Christine Sexton, Drew Wilson, and Mike Wright.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @PeterSchorschFL
Phone: (727) 642-3162
Address: 204 37th Avenue North #182
St. Petersburg, Florida 33704




Sign up for Sunburn


Categories