Gun rights groups continue to put pressure on Sen. President Andy Gardiner to make a bill to allow guns on college campuses a top priority for the remainder of the 2015 legislative session.
SB 176, sponsored by Sen. Greg Evers, R-Baker, would allow those 21 and up to carry concealed weapons at public colleges and universities. Its House companion, which was sponsored by Rep. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, flew threw its respective committees, where it was easily approved.
But its Senate counterpart has been stalled for weeks after it was taken off the Senate Judiciary Committees April 7 meeting agenda. Whispers around the Capitol pointed the blame at Senate President Gardiner, saying he was the one solely responsible for the move.
Gardiner washed his hands of the blame in aFacebook postwhere he said Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla was the one who called the shots and took the bill off the agenda.
I have not blocked any legislation from receiving a hearing in committee or on the Senate floor, he wrote, touting his A rating from the National Rifle Association and his commitment to Second Amendment rights.
Diaz de la Portilla said he didnt think there was much support for SB 176 since the bill didnt poll well when he asked his fellow senators about it.
Gun rights groups arent buying it.
Students for Concealed Carry, a group comprised of college students who support the legislation, arent happy with Diaz de la Portilla.
The lies involved in the stalling of this bill are unfortunate and despicable, Rebekah Hargrove, president of Students for Concealed Carry at Florida State University, said in a statement. Sen. Diaz de la Portilla is simply too afraid to have his name associated with a divisive bill, even though he has previously claimed to be a supporter of the Second Amendment.
Sen. President Gardiner isnt blameless, either, says SFCC. With a wave of his hand, Gardiner could bring SB 176 to the floor for a full vote.
SFCC is not alone in their sentiments. Former National Rifle Association President Marion Hammer told Sunshine State News Gardiner wields a great deal of power and can decide the life or death of a bill.
"If [Gardiner] wants that bill and supports it, as he has told us he does, then he certainly can get it put on the agenda and get it to the floor, she said.
Gardiner wont do that, though -- and he wont even meet with the students supporting the legislation.
With this power comes responsibility the responsibility to listen to the people, and yet Sen. Gardiner refuses to meet with us or even speak with us, the group said. As a result of these acts, the people now know where these senators truly stand on gun rights issues and we can show them that they are not representative of their state or their constituents.
The move wont be taken lightly.
This stalling of the bill will not be met with complacency, said SFCC. We will continue to defend our rights and will come back year after year if we must, but this train cannot be stopped as easily as refusing to schedule a bill.
The bill had still not been placed on the Senate Judiciary Committee agenda as of this articles release. Sunshine State News contacted Sen. Diaz de la Portillas office, who said the bill would not be heard in that committee at this time because it would not be meeting for the remainder of this years legislative session.
Reach Tampa-based reporter Allison Nielsen by email atallison@sunshinestatenews.comor follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.
