Legislators Stand Firm Against 'Stand Your Ground' Special Session

Letters went out to lawmakers this week asking them if they wanted to hold a special session over the controversial Stand Your Ground law in Florida, and although legislators have until Aug. 19 to send in their votes, the preliminary tally shows there will be no special session on the law.

As of Tuesday, 79 of 160 lawmakers had cast their votes. Of those, 55 lawmakers voted no on holding a special session, or 70 percent. One Democrat, Rep.Mike Clelland, of Lake Mary, voted with 54 Republicans. The remainder of the lawmakers -- 24 of them -- who voted "yes" on holding a special session were Democrats.

A total of three-fifths from both chambers is required to trigger a special session. With 81 votes left, Democrats would have to somehow gather 72 affirmative votes to force a special session on the law. And that's not looking too likely.

The Dream Defenders, a group of protesters from Miami, have been camped out at the Florida Capitol for 30 days, vowing to stay put until a special session is called. Gov. Rick Scott already rejected a special session in July, but Speaker of the House Will Weatherford said he'd hold a hearing on the law in the fall. Weatherford made it clear, however, that the polling of legislators would be the final word on a special session.

"Once this poll concludes, the question of a special session will be final," Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, told the News Service of Florida. "I trust our protesters will accept the results and return the Capitol back to normal business. It's time."

Not so fast, according to Phillip Agnew, who said the protesters wouldn't be leaving even if the poll failed.Well leave when weve done the work weve come to do, he said. The momentum that were building isnt contingent on the poll.