Staff Reports
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
Sen. Lauren Book and Rep. Dan Daley filed bills this week that would require people to get a background check before buying ammunition.
The bill is named in honor of Jaime Guttenberg, one of the 17 people killed in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting three years ago.
“Background check laws are one of the few gun safety measures almost universally supported across both sides of the aisle,” said Book, who sits alongside Jaime’s father Fred Guttenberg on the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Commission. “Jaime’s Law is a common-sense solution to ensure those who are already legally prohibited from purchasing firearms are unable to purchase ammunition to fill those firearms.”
Under current law, anyone prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm is also prohibited from purchasing or possessing ammunition. Unlike gun sales, however, there is no requirement that sellers run a background check on ammo buyers. SB 1170 and HB 25 would change that.
“With approximately 400,000,000 weapons already on the streets, we must make it harder for those who intend to kill to do so,” Fred Guttenberg said. “Prohibited purchasers of weapons are also prohibited from buying ammunition, but there is no mechanism in place to keep that ammunition out of their hands. We must close this ammunition loophole and this bill is a step in the right direction to do it. Jaime’s Law will help save lives immediately.”
If passed, those who legally own ammunition could still be given to others at shooting ranges, or when hunting or fishing as long as there is no reason to suspect the person will use it in a crime.
“As a graduate of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, nothing is more important to me than preventing another tragedy like what our community experienced from ever happening again,” Daley said.
“Jaime’s Law is a huge step in the right direction toward ensuring that weapons and ammunition stay out of dangerous hands. It’s also common sense and does not restrict the rights of legal gun owners. If someone walks into a bar and orders a beer, a bartender is required by law to ask for their ID. Why isn’t a vendor required by law to ensure that someone seeking to purchase ammunition is legally allowed to do so?”
Coronavirus Numbers
Positive cases:
— 1,774,013 FL residents (+8,354 since Wednesday)
— 32,792 Non-FL residents (+171 since Wednesday)
Origin:
— 14,324 Travel related
— 673,479 Contact with a confirmed case
— 19,527 Both
— 1,066,683 Under investigation
Hospitalizations:
— 75,454 in FL
Deaths:
— 28,871 in FL
Vaccinations:
— 3,057,652 Doses administered
— 2,165,911 Total people vaccinated
— 1,274,170 First dose
— 891,741 Series completed (+68,615 since Wednesday)
Evening Reads
“Impeachment trial may hinge on meaning of ‘incitement’” via Adam Liptak of The New York Times
“Managers say acquittal could embolden pro-Donald Trump extremists” via Kyle Cheney of POLITICO
“Dozens of former Republican officials in talks to form anti-Trump third party” via Tim Reid of Reuters
“Rick Scott: The ‘videos were horrible,’ but Trump impeachment trial is a ‘charade’” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
“Val Demings implores Republicans to see impeachment as ‘a moment of human decency’” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics
“Stephanie Murphy to Joe Biden: Vaccine distribution formula hurts senior-heavy Florida” via Jeff Weiner of the Orlando Sentinel
“Matt Gaetz hits back at Adam Kinzinger PAC targeting ‘Trumpism’” via Zack Budryk of The Hill
“Ron DeSantis slams ‘unconstitutional’ travel ban proposal from Biden White House” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
“Here’s what DeSantis should have said when asked about maskless Super Bowl celebrations” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics
“Florida breaks 1.8 million COVID-19 infections” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics
“Coronavirus hit Florida earlier than we thought — on a door handle at UF” via Divya Kumar of the Tampa Bay Times
“Wilton Simpson weighs in on current, hot-button issues” via the Citrus Chronicle
“Chris Sprowls encourages schools to find, re-enroll missing school children” via Jason Delgado of Florida Politics
“Blaise Ingoglia entering 2021 Session with a record of conservative leadership” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics
“How a ‘whip-smart’ Broward high schooler got a spot on Biden’s COVID health equity panel” via Brooke Batinger of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel
“Can’t find an N95 mask? This company has 30 million that it can’t sell.” via Andrew Jacobs of The New York Times
“‘Grim Reaper’ attorney in hot water over comments” via Dara Kam of News Service of Florida
Quote of the Day
“Any attempt to restrict or lockdown Florida by the federal government would be an attack on our state, done purely for political purposes.” — Gov. Ron DeSantis, on travel restrictions being considered by the White House.
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