Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Florida’s fight to allow concealed weapons on college campuses will live to see another legislative session come January. Rep. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, has resurrected a bill allowing college students with concealed weapons permits to carry firearms on campus. Just a few short months ago, legislation to allow guns on college campuses was close to becoming a reality.
Even Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasalinda, a Democrat, crossed party lines to support the legislation, recalling a time when she used a gun to defend herself against an attacker attempting to rape her.
But a series of events in the Senate led to the bill’s sentence to the legislative slaughterhouse. Rest in peace.
Supporters of the legislation, who contended the bill would make college campuses safer (especially for victims of sexual assault), said they wouldn’t be giving up. After the bill was taken off the Senate committee calendar (read: its death), National Rifle Association lobbyist Marion Hammer told Sunshine State News the bill would be back again and again until it passed.
Florida Carry Executive Director Sean Caranna also told Sunshine State News he wasn’t disheartened after the bill’s death -- Second Amendment supporters, he explained, would remain persistent.
“We are not going away,” he said. “This issue will come up year after year until we pass it.”
Now it appears the supporters of the legislation’s words weren’t hollow.
Steube is waving the banner of the legislation on the House side, championing it for what he says is a fight to make schools “safe zones” against criminals and wrongdoers.
Gun-free zones, Steube says, are particularly dangerous because criminals see places where they know people don’t have weapons as a perfect scene to commit violence.
“Why would we want to create that in Florida?” Steube asked on a recent episode of the "Gun Writer." “I have not seen any justifiable, factual evidence why we shouldn’t allow concealed carry permit holders to carry on school grounds.”
Sen. Greg Evers, R-Baker, has already filed a companion bill in that chamber. Judging from the ruckus the legislation caused during the last legislative session, it’s incredibly likely the debate over allowing guns on campus will be one of the hottest bills come January.
Student organizations which trekked to the Capitol to speak in favor of the bill say they’re ready to pick up the fight once more.
Last legislative session, some student groups appeared disorganized and confused about the inner workings of the legislative process. They say this year will be a different rodeo.
“We know a lot more about the process and what’s expected of us now, it'll be much easier to start taking names quickly,” wrote Florida Students for Campus Carry on their Facebook page, which has picked up its activity after a brief hiatus.
Opponents of the legislation, too, haven’t been entirely quiet on the issue. Once again, they have expressed fears adding guns into the mix of an already hectic environment could lead to unexpected and deadly consequences.
“This is the latest example of extremism and a radicalized interpretation of the Second Amendment by gun lobby backed legislators,” wrote The Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus.
The League of Women Voters has also emerged as a strong voice against the legislation. Just last week, the group held a “gun safety” summit in Orlando, bringing college professors and students together to voice concerns about the legislation.
The 2016 legislative session begins in January.
Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.
