Florida Democrats push gun-control bills just weeks after open-carry law takes effect

**Florida Democrats File Gun Control Bills Amidst Political Challenges and Open Carry Legalization**

GAINESVILLE — Democrats in Florida’s Legislature have filed more than a dozen gun control bills less than two months after the state legalized open carry. Even party lawmakers acknowledge these bills are unlikely to advance, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by gun control advocates in Tallahassee.

The routine introduction of gun-control legislation, often without significant progress, has drawn criticism from prominent gun violence prevention advocates. Fred Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old daughter Jaime was killed in the 2018 Parkland school shooting, expressed disappointment with Democratic lawmakers.

“Unfortunately in the state of Florida, the majority of those on the Democratic side have just become weak,” Guttenberg said. “They’ve forgotten how to fight; they’ve accepted the idea that they can’t accomplish much, and I think they’re mistaken.”

### Legislative Roadblocks and Republican Opposition

None of the Democratic-sponsored bills aimed at restricting gun rights have been scheduled for committee hearings by the Republican leadership. In contrast, a Republican-backed measure to broaden gun rights is already set for a committee vote.

The Republican bill, led by Rep. Tyler Sirois (R-Merritt Island), proposes lowering the legal age to purchase any firearm from 21 to 18. It is expected to face its first vote in the House Criminal Justice subcommittee, where Republicans hold a 12-5 majority. A similar bill failed earlier this year when the Senate declined to approve the House-backed legislation.

### Key Democratic Gun Control Proposals

Democrat-backed bills introduced for the 2026 legislative session include:

– **Ban on Assault-Style Weapons and Large-Capacity Magazines:** Proposed by Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith (D-Orlando), this bill seeks to prohibit the sale of assault-style guns and magazines that carry more than 10 bullets.

– **Limits on Gun Carrying Locations:** Bills by Rep. Christine Hunschofsky (D-Coconut Creek) and Sen. Tina Polsky (D-Boca Raton) would ban civilians from carrying weapons in government buildings, police stations, courthouses, schools, and other specified locations.

– **Safe Storage Requirements:** Legislation by Sen. Darryl Ervin Rouson (D-St. Petersburg), and Reps. Yvonne Hayes Hinson (D-Gainesville) and Dan Daley (D-Coral Springs) would require guns in vehicles or boats to be stored locked and out of sight. Senate Minority Leader Lori Berman (D-Boynton Beach) filed a similar bill.

– **Expanded Criminal Liability and Safety Measures:** A bill by Sen. Polsky aims to increase criminal liability if minors access guns and mandates gun manufacturers to provide safety warnings and demonstrate safe gun locks.

– **Responsible Firearm Safety Awareness:** Rep. Tae Edmonds (D-West Palm Beach) proposed designating June as “Responsible Firearm Safety Awareness Month.”

### “Jamie’s Law” and Background Checks for Ammunition

Among the most notable proposals is “Jamie’s Law,” named after Guttenberg’s daughter Jaime. The bill would require background checks for ammunition purchases. It has been introduced six times in Congress without success but has passed in California, New York, Connecticut, Illinois, and New Jersey.

In Florida, Sen. Polsky and Rep. Dan Daley introduced the ammunition background check bills. However, Daley’s bill faces an extra procedural hurdle in the House, requiring passage through four committees instead of the usual three — a move viewed as a strategy by Republican leadership to stall the legislation.

Polsky acknowledged the difficulty in passing the bill. “It’s very doubtful or even impossible,” she said, “but I still file these bills because they’re important for my constituents and it’s important policy.”

Daley, a Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School graduate, echoed this sentiment. “That doesn’t mean that we don’t continue to push as hard as we can because it’s important policy that keeps us all safe,” he said. “I work on school safety, reasonable gun reform, mental health reform, trying to make sure that something like the tragedy at my alma mater doesn’t happen again.”

### Judicial and Political Climate Favoring Gun Rights

Recent court rulings in Florida have favored gun rights over control. In September, a state appeals panel struck down Florida’s law prohibiting openly carrying a gun in public as unconstitutional. More recently, a Broward County circuit judge ruled that the state’s law barring people under age 21 from carrying concealed weapons violates the Second Amendment.

Gun rights supporters view the Democrat-sponsored bills as infringements on their constitutional rights. Logan Edge, executive director of the Florida Gun Rights Association, criticized the proposed measures and called for repealing post-Parkland laws, including “red flag laws” that enable courts to seize firearms from individuals deemed a threat.

“Most people that buy firearms are law-abiding citizens,” Edge said. “Hundreds of millions of people in America own firearms legally, and we are not the problem when it comes to violence, it’s criminals.”

He further questioned the effectiveness of background checks on ammunition purchases, arguing it would increase costs for sellers and is unlikely to reduce violence.

### Advocates Continue the Fight

Despite the obstacles, advocates like Guttenberg remain committed to pushing for stronger gun laws in Florida and nationwide.

“My motivation is really simple: It’s to stop the next dad from feeling what I feel,” Guttenberg said. “Because of what happened to my family, I’ve become somebody fully embracing the reality that we can and should be doing more to reduce gun violence in America.”

Guttenberg works through his foundation, Orange Ribbons for Jaime, and partners with groups such as the Brady Campaign To Prevent Gun Violence.

Daley hopes that in light of Florida’s recent open-carry court decisions, legislators will consider background checks and other safety measures as necessary counterbalances.

“If we’re going to do the craziness that is open carry, then certainly the people who are open-carrying should have to make sure that they are not prohibited purchasers and that they weren’t able to get a gun and ammunition when they weren’t supposed to,” Daley said.

### Conclusion

Florida’s political and judicial environment remains a challenging landscape for gun control legislation. While Democrats continue to introduce bills aimed at limiting access to firearms and enhancing safety measures, Republican majorities and favorable court rulings for gun rights create significant barriers. Advocates, however, remain steadfast, pushing for policies they believe will prevent future tragedies and reduce gun violence across the state.

—

*For more information on gun violence prevention efforts in Florida and beyond, visit Orange Ribbons for Jaime and the Brady Campaign To Prevent Gun Violence.*
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2025/11/12/florida-democrats-push-gun-control-bills-just-weeks-after-open-carry-law-takes-effect/