I need you to take action and fight to make sure these bills pass the Florida House!
Florida’s legislative session started this week, and we have three solid pro-gun bills introduced in the House.
And I need you, Florida’s gun owners, to fight hard and be loud!
HB 17 by Rep. Dr. Joel Rudman repeals Florida’s mandatory waiting periods. If enacted, a gun buyer can take possession of their firearm as soon as the background check is completed. Yes, you read that right — no more waiting to take possession even after the background check is done.
Rep. Rudman’s bill fixes that and goes a step further too. If the FL Dept. of Law Enforcement (FDLE) takes too long and doesn’t complete the background check within three days, the dealer can release the firearm. No more waiting around and having your rights delayed.
HB 1223 by Rep. Bobby Payne restores gun rights for young adults. This bill restores the right to legally purchase a firearm for those who are under 21. Sadly, back in 2018, under the leadership of then Governor Rick Scott, Florida’s Republicans stripped young adults in the state from being able to legally exercise their Second Amendment rights. Again, HB 1223 fixes that and restores their rights.
HB 1619 by Rep. Michael Beltran makes Florida a true Constitutional Carry state. This bill repeals the Open Carry ban and goes a step further; it removes several gun-free zones. These include polling places and college/university campuses. If enacted, Florida would join the 45 states that have adopted Open Carry. Currently, only Florida, California, New York, Illinois, and Connecticut ban it.
In fact, Florida is the only Republican state in the nation to ban Open Carry, ban adults under 21 from being able to purchase firearms, and have mandatory waiting periods for firearm purchases. These three bills fix these issues and bring Florida to the same level playing field as other Republican states.
I need you to contact the House Speaker and Governor and tell them that you will accept nothing less than these bills passing.
It was because of your hard work — not only last year but in years past — that we got permitless carry passed for concealed carriers. And it will be because of your hard work this year that we will get these bills heard and passed.
In Liberty,
Luis Valdes
Florida State Director
Gun Owners of America
PS – Please share this alert and donate to GOA. Also, click here and read GOA’s latest article in the Orlando Sentinel, where GOA calls out the Republican leadership for the previous failures to advance pro-gun legislation. WUCF-TV/PBS said it best about GOA, we’re the only “no compromise” gun rights organization in Florida.
