An Orlando lawmaker has filed a bill to ban the sale, possession and use of “bump stock” gun accessories in the wake of a mass shooting in Las Vegas which left 58 people dead and more than 500 injured last week.
State Sen. Linda Stewart, D-Orlando, filed legislation Monday to ban the importation, transfer, distribution, transport, sale, giving, or possession of a bump-fire stock in Florida.
The proposal would also require those in possession of bump stock accessories to relinquish their weapons to local law enforcement agencies or the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Floridians who do not hand over their weapons to law enforcement agencies must destroy or render the accessories “inoperable.” Law enforcement agencies would be required to destroy the devices as well.
If passed, anyone in possession of a bump stock firearm accessory would be guilty of a third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison or a fine up to $5,000.
Bump stocks made headlines last week after a former Florida resident opened fire on thousands of people attending a country music festival in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The shooter, Stephen Paddock, allegedly used a bump stock accessory last Sunday to turn his firearms into fully automatic weapons. Police said Paddock -- who once resided in Melbourne -- outfitted 12 of his firearms with bump stocks as he fired hundreds of rounds of ammunition into the crowd of 22,000 people late Sunday evening.
The shooting was the worst in modern U.S. history. No motive has been revealed yet.
Stewart isn’t the only Florida politician taking a stand against bump stocks.
Last week, U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo, R-Miami, said he would file legislation in Congress to ban bump stocks. Curbelo, a centrist, has already gathered bipartisan support for his bill, which was cosponsored by U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, a Democrat from Massachusetts.
“People agree this is a blatant circumvention of existing law so closing that loophole would in no way, curtail, inhibit or diminish Americans’ Second Amendment rights,” Curbelo told Fox and Friends last week. “It would be the first time in decades that the two parties got together and said ‘Hey, on this gun issue we have found an issue we agree on.’”
Curbelo’s proposal has already gathered the support of some Republicans like U.S. Reps. Gus Bilirakis, Vern Buchanan and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, all of whom said they would be in favor of the measure.
U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., is sponsoring similar legislation in the U.S. Senate.
Stewart's bill does not yet have a House sponsor. To view the full text of Stewart’s proposal, click here.
Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.
READ MORE FROM SUNSHINE STATE NEWS
State Lawmakers File Bill Restricting Gun Access for 'At-Risk' Floridians
Carlos Curbelo to Push Bipartisan Ban on Bump Stocks
