U.S.A. –-(AmmoLand.com)- Constitutional Carry in Florida failed for the third year in a row. Not because Florida gun owners don’t support it, but because it seems to have been ignored by the Florida Legislature.
Even after Governor DeSantis made the public announcement that he would sign a bill for Constitutional Carry if it made it to his desk, and Anthony Sabatini presented the bill yet again, the Florida Legislature seems to have an issue getting it to the floor for votes.
This particular group of Legislators includes Senate President Wilton Simpson (R), House Speaker, Chris Sprowls (R), and House Chairman Chuck Brannan (R).
Wilton Simpson is the Author of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act (SB 7026), otherwise known as the Parkland Gun Control Bill. This law now allows law enforcement to confiscate firearms without due process when used with the Baker Act, it ended the ability for anyone to purchase a gun under the age of 21, it implemented a bump stock ban so vague that it included binary triggers and added a statewide 3 day waiting period for all long gun purchases for the first time in Florida. Chris Sprowls voted in favor of the Parkland Gun Control Bill in 2018.
You would think, after trying to get Constitutional Carry for Florida residents two years in a row, Sabatini’s bill would surely be a slam dunk the third time around, especially considering the 22 other states that are now on board with Constitutional Carry and the fact that the Legislature is comprised of Republicans.
Nope. Something went wrong again.
Sabatini’s Constitutional Carry bill was introduced and assigned to the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Sub-Committee Chaired by Representative Chuck Brannan but went exactly …nowhere.
According to Florida State Director of Gun Owners Of America, Luis Valdes, several Floridians requested this bill be brought up in Committee by Brannan only to be ignored and petitions deposited in the trash. Valdes told AmmoLand, “Florida’s Republican legislative leadership is instead, following the national party platform of the Democrats.”
It may seem that this Republican Legislature is stalling the Constitutional Carry bill. Why would we think that? Representative Michelle Salzman said so on video during the 2022 legislative session. Salzman claimed that Constitutional Carry was extremely important to her but went on to say, “It’s not the right time. You have the leadership in place that were the ones that voted in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Bill. Period. Like, was it a bad bill? Yeah. I mean, I think it was. They voted for it so they stand behind it and that’s what they’re doing. They’re standing behind their bill so they’re not going to hear a bill that omits the bill that they stood behind. It has nothing to do with what’s good or bad. It has to do with making a decision as a leader and following through with it. And so I’m not going to do anything to poke that bear. That’s a professional courtesy and many other things.”
In what seems to be a vote of support for President Wilton Simpson, USF Executive Director/NRA Past President, Marion P. Hammer said in an email to NRA members, “Groups that have been attacking President Wilton Simpson should have been standing in line to thank him for not hearing the following 14 gun control bills that actually were filed in the Senate.”
Hammer also said that the reason Sabatini’s bill wasn’t heard in any committee was because he never requested to have the bill heard and never secured a Senate Companion Bill. She also wrote in an email to NRA members that “Rep. Chuck Brannan has a solid ‘A’ rating with NRA and is a true friend to gun owners and the Second Amendment.”
Is it possible that Sabatini didn’t follow the proper protocol? Maybe. Is it likely that the same people who voted for a gun control bill are quietly trying to resist Constitutional Carry? Possibly. Could this be a case of politicians “playing ball” to suit their own interests? You decide. Then get out and vote for the Representatives who actually take action in support of your right to keep and bear.
The 2nd Amendment is not a privilege. It’s your right.
About Dan Wos, Author – Good Gun Bad Guy
Dan Wos is available for Press Commentary. For more information contact PR HERE
Dan Wos is a nationally recognized 2nd Amendment advocate and Author of the “GOOD GUN BAD GUY” series. He speaks at events, is a contributing writer for many publications, and can be found on radio stations across the country. Dan has been a guest on the Sean Hannity Show, NRATV, and several others. Speaking on behalf of gun-rights, Dan exposes the strategies of the anti-gun crowd and explains their mission to disarm law-abiding American gun-owners.
Chuck Brannan is my district rep, and I liked him, but he has been very timid on several issues. However, when I got the mailer that said he was holding up CC in the house, I called his office to ask why he had not set it for hearing. His legislative assistant lied outright and said Brannan can’t set bills for hearing (in his own committee?!?!), but only the Speaker of the House can set them. Seriously? I was dumbfounded that he would try to sell me that pathetic lie, so I called the committee secretary and got the page… Read more »
Hammer and the NRA need to get the hell out of my state politics.
I have written and called all of the above mentioned politicians many times to no avail.
DeSantis’ ‘public support’ came at a sparsely attended and little reported event and his ‘support’ was simply saying “Send me the bill and I’ll sign it”. Pretty weak.
So now we have 23 States with CC, considering Alabama is on board. If Ohio, Indiana, and Nebraska cross the line as well, we’ll be up to 26, or over half the States.
*Then* what excuse will the Florida RINOs have the next time this comes up for a vote?
If Marion Hammer isn’t on board with a gun reform measure in Florida, it goes nowhere.
If Marion Hammer can be brought on board with Constitutional Carry, it can be done in Florida.
It’s basically the same in South Carolina. RINO’s led by the head of the Judiciary Committee chair, Luke Rankin, refuse to allow the CC bill out of committee and on the floor for a full vote. Rankin needs to go!!!
Republican does not mean Conservative. Republican does not mean Constitutional. Republican very often means globalist, corporatist, or even progressive. This is what we are seeing here. When your legislature is greased with just enough Bloomberg money you will watch bills like Constitutional Carry slip and slide to to side and off the edge time and again. Follow the money. Name names. This is how you clean up the mess in your legislature and in the republican cartel as a whole. The four new commandments of firearms safety need to be amended to add: Never give money to the republican party.… Read more »
I was in a gun shop awhile back and CC was being discussed and the general consensus was that FL likes the revenue that permits generate.
RINOs Are Dims
Interesting read Thank you We can no longer trust the elected most are pandering to everyone they come in contact with this is called the kissing baby syndrome. Today the elected are not sure which way to lean in the republican party. They have let most of use down remember the elite in the republican party hated Trump and he gave them no choice. Think who have the republicans supported that could be President , Mitt Romney he stepped aside for Obama and now proves that he should be a democrat for all his political viewpoints. Those that stood with… Read more »
Strange that as a Life member of the NRA I never received any of those emails. Why do they say that they sent emails to members and some members got them? Sounds phony to me.