Gun rights enthusiasts supporters in Florida are closer to seeing open-carry legislation become law, as a new bill sponsored by Rep. Matt Gaetz (Ft. Walton Beach) looks like it will have its day on the floor of both chambers of the Florida Legislature.
Opponents of the gun bill will argue that Gaetz is trying to come off as the state’s modern day Yosemite Sam by proposing this kind of “extremist” and “out-of-touch” legislation, but what these detractors will fail to tell voters is that open-carry laws already exist in 44 other states.As we reported earlier this week, Gaetz’s bill narrowly (7-6) made it through the House Justice Appropriations Subcommittee.
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Completing this poll grants you access to Shark Tank updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to this site's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.The vote was 7-6 because a pair of Pinellas County Republicans joined the Democrats in opposition.
The bill’s sponsor Matt Gaetz (Fort Walton Beach, R) said he was also willing to study language — sought by some lawmakers and law enforcement — to require people who openly carry to use holsters or some other means to secure their gun.
Gaetz said:I want to research the impact that that has on public safety and the extent to which that burdens people’s rights that we’re attempting to vindicate.
The measure has now cleared two House committees. It is backed by gun-rights groups and opposed by a majority of Florida sheriffs.
While on a quick one-day trip to Tallahassee, I caught up with gunslinger Matt Gaetz and asked him about his thoughts on the bill’s chances of eventually being signed into law by Governor Rick Scott.
Gaetz stated that he was “very confident” that open-carry legislation would pass on the floor of the Florida House Representatives, adding that the strongest opposition, or “stronger headwinds in the Florida Senate,” to his bill will eventually come around because of the Senate cosponsor he recruited to back his gun play, his dad Senator Don Gaetz (R).
The Florida Sheriff’s Association, which has been the loudest voice of opposition to Gaetz’s gun bill, had recently made their case in front of the committee, but failed to convince legislators to back away from the bill.I recruited a pretty good bill sponsor over there. I have placed my faith in Senator Gaetz, and I have never been disappointed so far, said Rep. Gaetz about teaming up with his pops on this piece of legislation.
Gaetz defended his and his father’s open-carry 1-2 punch by saying that the two normally “don’t do bills together,” but because the issue was of “such importance” to their constituents, they chose to team up, and put a “full effort in making this a top priority.”
The younger Gaetz said he also feels pretty confident that Governor Scott will sign his bill into law, considering that Scott has been a big supporter of the Second Amendment.
On completely different topic, Gaetz reiterated his support for Jeb Bush in the 2016 Republican presidential primary race, saying that Bush was his “number one, number two, and number three” in the race, but did assert that he believed that Senator Marco Rubio was “the greatest communicator” that the GOP has seen in the modern era.Governor Scott has been a tremendous supporter of the second amendment in his entire tenure, and so I have every expectation, if we can get him the bill that he will sign it.