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Update: On January 18, 2018, SB 1242 was placed on the agenda of the Florida Senate Judiciary Committee but never considered. The bill was indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration by Senator Greg Steube on March 10, 2018 when he was unable to muster the votes needed to pass it in committee.
It’s a new legislative session in the state of Florida and once again Senator Greg Steube (R-23rd), the chair of the state Senate Judiciary Committee, is pushing bad gun bills on behalf of his patrons in the National Rifle Association.
Steube’s latest trick was to announce late Friday night that the committee will be marking up a bill, SB 1242, on January 18 that would allow individuals to carry firearms in public without a permit.
The bill would not only eliminate Florida’s longstanding requirement that citizens obtain a permit, undergo screening for criminal background, and receive safety training before carrying a concealed firearm in public. It would also repeal Florida’s 30 year-old prohibition on open carry, allowing that type of carry without a permit as well.
There are two key swing votes on the Senate Judiciary Committee that can defeat SB 1242 by voting NO: Senator Anitere Flores (R-39th) and Senator Rene Garcia (R-36th).
Please contact Senators Flores and Garcia through one of the channels below and give them the following message:
Please vote NO on SB 1242 during the bill’s mark-up in the Senate Judiciary Committee and again should the bill come to the Senate floor for a vote. This dangerous legislation would allow Florida residents to carry guns in public—openly or concealed—with no permit, background check, or safety training. There is no legitimate reason to allow violent individuals to carry firearms on Florida’s streets without oversight or accountability. This is just another bad gun bill that Sen. Steube is trying to ram through the committee and full Senate on behalf of his patrons in the NRA. In the past, you have shown common sense on the gun issue and demonstrated an understanding that with rights come responsibilities. I urge you to safeguard public safety again and vote NO on SB 1242. Thank you!
Senator Anitere Flores
Phone: (305) 222-4117 or (850) 487-5039
Email: https://www.flsenate.gov/Senators/s39
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anitere/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/anitere_flores
Senator Rene Garcia
Phone: (305) 364-3100 or (850) 487-5036
Email via webform: https://www.flsenate.gov/Senators/s36
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SenReneGarcia/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SenReneGarcia
Please take this action regardless of whether you live in Florida! If a Senate staffer asks you where you live, just answer honestly. If you don’t live in Florida, but travel there for business and/or pleasure, make sure to mention that in your message.
Once you have contacted the senators, click the orange banner below to report taking action!