Governor: ‘Legislature not going to go for’ Special Session

Ron DeSantis
'What I think we should look to do is ... build on threat-assessment.'

Gov. Ron DeSantis doubts that the Legislature will respond to the call from Democrats for a Special Legislative Session on gun violence

The Governor said he would prefer to see the next Session build on his view of addressing threat assessments.

Addressing reporters in Orlando Wednesday after announcing a new voter registration computer system, the Governor expressed no interest or concern for the Florida House Democratic caucus’ call on Tuesday for a Special Legislative Session “to address the epidemic of gun violence in our state.”

“I think the Legislature is not going to go for it,” DeSantis said. “What I think we should look to do in the next Session is to build on what I put forward in terms of threat assessment.”

He cited the arrest last weekend of a Volusia County man after threatening to shoot up a school.

“When you are taking these warning signs seriously and you have a system in place that can have the necessary interventions, you know you’re in a situation where you can potentially stop some really dangerous people,” DeSantis said. “It takes resources. It takes initiative.

“But if you look at that Stoneman Douglas [High School Public Safety Commission] report, they surveyed a lot of these incidences over the last 10 or 20 years. And the vast majority were not just out of the blue.”

The Governor did not address guns or the broader issue of gun violence in his response during a question-and-answer period. Those were the key issues Tuesday when House Democrats petitioned for a Special Legislative Session.

“The people of Florida deserve … to live in cities free from the plague of daily gun violence,” Rep. Javier Fernández, a Coral Gables Democrat, said Tuesday on behalf of the caucus.

“They deserve to attend gatherings, schools, and houses of worship without a looming fear for their lives and the lives of their loved ones,” he added. “And they deserve a Legislature who will do all it can to protect them.”

Scott Powers

Scott Powers is an Orlando-based political journalist with 30+ years’ experience, mostly at newspapers such as the Orlando Sentinel and the Columbus Dispatch. He covers local, state and federal politics and space news across much of Central Florida. His career earned numerous journalism awards for stories ranging from the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster to presidential elections to misplaced nuclear waste. He and his wife Connie have three grown children. Besides them, he’s into mystery and suspense books and movies, rock, blues, basketball, baseball, writing unpublished novels, and being amused. Email him at [email protected].


4 comments

  • NoMoreRepublicans!

    August 21, 2019 at 3:38 pm

    Naturally not. The Republicans are like addicts – always pandering to their dealers to be sure they’ll get their next fix. In this case – the addicts, the Republicans running this state and the nation – get their fixes in the form of campaign contributions from the NRA – and they’re addicted to the money just like the hapless junky is addicted to his drug of choice. Time to get rid of Republicans in government.

    • g

      August 21, 2019 at 4:10 pm

      Pandering to the Bill Of Rights and the Constitution is what you meant to say.

      GOD BLESS DJT! MAGA 2020

  • martin

    August 21, 2019 at 9:26 pm

    “the people of Florida deserve … to live in cities free from the plague of daily gun violence,” Rep. Javier Fernández, a Coral Gables Democrat, said Tuesday on behalf of the caucus.”

    sure seems to be working in chicago, baltimore, detroit, st. louis, miami, etc., etc. Tell that to the caucus there.

  • Becky Jamin

    August 21, 2019 at 10:54 pm

    Our Republican legislators wouldn’t want to upset the NRA, now would they? SMH

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, William March, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, Cole Pepper, Jesse Scheckner, Drew Wilson, and Mike Wright.

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