The legislature of the Republican-controlled Senate voted 24-16 along party lines to give the final approval to the measure (HB 259), which, did, in fact, pass the House last month. The proposal would let people with concealed weapons licenses “pack proverbial heat” at churches or other religious institutions that share properties with schools. The proposal is heading to Governor Ron DeSantis. DeSantis’ office did not quickly reply to a question about whether the governor will, in fact, sign this bill.
Florida Law
The Florida law typically does allow people to carry concealed weapons at churches, synagogues, mosques, and other religious institutions. However, it does bar it from being armed on school properties. In fact, that does cause people being prevented from carrying guns on properties shared by religious institutions and schools.
Legislature says the Bill Fills that Critical Gap in the Present Law
The senate sponsor Joe Gruters, Republican in a Florida city, said the bill closes a “loophole.”
“I’m stressing this is about safety,” Gruters said. “Unfortunately, we saw what happened in Texas when a church, was the target. It was, in fact, six seconds it took them to secure that location. This, moreover, does give schools the extra needed safety they need. Also, it gives churches the additional security that they need, too. As well as it gives the property owners the primary and ultimate responsibility to make the decision that is really best for them.”
Democrats don’t Believe in the Proposal
The proposal won’t improve safety, a Democrat countering about it.
“It’s really a fallacy, Dirty Harry, Rambo. John McClane is not going to be rising up in a church. Then, take out the bad guy,” Senate Minority Leader Gary Farmer, Democrat from another Florida city, pointed out. “You’re got more danger when you got more guns, period. These are religious institutions and supposing to be peaceful places of worship. Why anybody would bring a gun to a church is beyond me.” That’s precisely the reason to have guns to protect people from danger, if and when, it was to occur, and be preparing for it! Of course, no one wants to believe it could happen but it has and could very well take place again!
