As the session ended strangely last week, I wanted to give everyone a breakdown of what happened.
First, the House and Senate could not agree on the budget, so they must return in a month and have an extension added to this session. Every bill not passed by both chambers on May 2nd is now dead.
As we know, the drama and grandstanding was on full display, and unfortunately, the pettiness from the legislature ended up with more inaction for gun owners.
Despite the Republican supermajorities in both chambers and Governor DeSantis’ calls to repeal all of the Parkland-era gun control laws, the Tallahassee swamp continued to thumb their noses at the demands of gun owners.
The last week of the session, we tried to get HB 651 amended to include language to legalize Open Carry. The bill passed both chambers without a single Representative or Senator daring to challenge leadership and amend it.
After Representative Monique Miller’s betrayal by refusing to file her own bill, this was our best chance to get Open Carry across the finish line. Florida Gun Rights staffers talked with numerous legislators about amending this bill. Unfortunately, the entire legislature caved to leadership’s demands that no amendments be added to the bill.
This was a recurring theme from this session. Whether it was getting substantial pro-2A bills even filed or working to amend bills, leadership, both the Speaker and Senate President, shut everyone out of the process.
While the Governor continued to demand action on the pro-gun measures the grassroots have wanted for years, leadership refused.
But let’s be honest.
With Republican supermajorities, legislators in Tallahassee have no excuse for just whittling around the expansion of Second Amendment protections in Florida.
You and I must keep demanding more.
Remember that the hard work done by pro-2A activists was not in vain.
Thank you to everyone who called, texted, emailed, and signed our petitions to their legislators, and made their voices heard. We will continue to build on this monument.
Gun owners now have the opportunity to take their grievances to the polls and hold their elected officials accountable for their disregard of the Second Amendment.
You see, it’s our job to connect the legislative session with the election season.
We cannot allow this legislative session’s complete failure to be forgotten.
Holding legislators accountable at the ballot box in the upcoming primaries is the only language many understand.
Far too many Republicans ran on being champions of the Second Amendment but did not follow through on their campaign promises.
Thank you for the support of this hard-fought session. We will continue to fight for gun owners here in Florida.
About the Author
Logan Edge is the Executive Director of Florida Gun Rights. Logan has spent his political career working for grassroots organizations and candidates, specifically in Florida. He has worked and advised over 25 campaigns; he joins the Florida Gun Rights Team fresh from Capitol Hill after a two-year stint with pro-gun champion Congressman Thomas Massie (R-KY).
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