Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Ana CeballosMarch 9, 2018

Almost immediately after Gov. Rick Scott signed gun-control measures that are unprecedented in the state, the National Rifle Association filed a federal lawsuit to try to block it. Scott signed the “Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Act” flanked by some of the parents who lost their children in the school mass shooting on Valentine’s Day. […]

Ana CeballosMarch 6, 2018

The Florida House Tuesday passed a priority bill for Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam without a toxic gun provision and without considering a contentious bill tied to puppy mills. The language in the House plan was causing heartburn, but state Rep. Jake Raburn, who is sponsoring the House bill, decided to consider the Senate plan, which […]

Ana CeballosMarch 6, 2018

The 41 Democrats of the Florida House unanimously voted Tuesday morning to take a caucus position against a proposed program that would arm school staff with guns. Rep. Joe Geller of Aventura made the motion to do so, and on a voice vote the move was approved. But when another motion was made to take […]

Danny McAuliffeMarch 3, 2018

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The Florida Senate took the better part of eight hours during a rare Saturday session to work through 128 amendments — only one of which passed the floor — on a single bill. And even with the amendment’s approval, partisan spirits haven’t changed on the proposal designed to address issues unearthed in the wake of […]

Scott PowersMarch 1, 2018

Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis on Thursday denounced Florida Legislature efforts to tighten gun restrictions and said the mass shooting two weeks ago at the Parkland high school should be seen as “a catastrophic failure” by the Broward County sheriff and the FBI. DeSantis, a congressman from Ponte Vedra Beach, has made similar comments in […]

Scott PowersFebruary 28, 2018

Declaring that Florida lawmakers are failing to respond to post-Parkland calls to address guns, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris King said Wednesday that the people of Florida deserve a special session. King, a Winter Park businessman, advocated for a ban on military-style assault weapons and comprehensive background checks on gun purchases, and contended that Marjory Stoneman […]

Ana CeballosFebruary 27, 2018

As the Florida Legislature on Tuesday turned its focus to proposals crafted in the wake of the state’s deadliest school mass shooting in Parkland, a measure that would give law enforcement officers more power to investigate deadly threats made on social media cleared the Senate Appropriations Committee. Sarasota Republican Sen. Greg Steube, who on Monday […]

Ana CeballosFebruary 26, 2018

Following a chaotic and emotional two-hour debate at the Senate Rules Committee on Monday, dozens of gun control advocates left the meeting angry and disappointed when senators voted down a ban on assault weapons. “Vote them out! Vote them out!” protesters chanted after Senate Rules Chair Lizbeth Benacquisto announced the failure of on an amendment filed […]

Ana CeballosFebruary 26, 2018

A sit-in protest over gun-control legislation erupted inside and outside the Senate Rules Committee on Monday as senators considered three contentious proposals rolled out in the wake of the deadly Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. Clad in bright orange shirts, gun control advocates wielded signs slamming the National Rifle Association. They yelled, “this is […]

Danny McAuliffeFebruary 26, 2018

Gun control activists didn’t get everything they wanted in the firearm safety proposals released Friday, but they aren’t giving up without a fight. Calling the Legislature’s safety plan a “band-aid” and saying the proposed measures don’t “go far enough,” Democratic lawmakers announced on Monday that they had filed amendments to the plan — including one that […]

Tag: gun control
Crowds gather to see Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. (Gabrielle Russon)

NRA sues state shortly after Rick Scott signs gun-control measures

House passes Adam Putnam’s priority without contentious gun provision

House Dems take caucus position against arming school staff

Post-Parkland Senate bill primed for floor vote

Ron DeSantis calls Parkland massacre a failure of FBI, sheriff; denounces state gun proposals

Chris King decries loopholes in gun laws, urges special session

Florida cops could soon have more power to investigate social media threats

Senate pushes gun, school safety proposals without assault weapon ban

Protest erupts in Senate Rules Committee as gun proposals are considered

Democrats propose assault weapons ban for Legislature’s gun package