I posted this on TTAG -
Two Proposed Florida Ballot Measures Would Require Registration, Ban Most Semi-Automatic Firearms
A constitutional amendment is being proposed for the state’s 2020 ballot that would ban semiautomatic firearms in Florida. The petition drive and effort is being pushed by a Miami based organization known as
Ban Assault Weapons NØW (BAWN) and they have some big names in their corner. A former Republican member of the Florida Senate is part of their committee of course to give it that bipartisan feel.
Their mission statement is simple;
Congress won’t act. The Florida Legislature won’t act. The only way to ban assault weapons like AR-15s and other weapons of war is for the people of Florida to go to the polls and vote. This campaign will place an amendment on the 2020 ballot in Florida to do what our elected leaders refuse to: Ban Assault Weapons NOW.
According to the
Tampa Bay Times, the group has raised nearly $410,000 since March, while spending almost $284,000, according to finance information. The expenditures included $75,000 last month to a California-based company for what was described in the finance information as “petitions.â€
My own research into BAWN shows that they have a lengthy donation record through the
Florida Department of State records.
Additionally, they are part of ActBlue. A nonprofit technology organization established in June 2004 that enables Democrats, progressive groups, and nonprofits to raise money on the internet by providing them with online fundraising software. Its stated mission is to “empower small-dollar donorsâ€. Basically it is a Leftist GoFundMe for political causes.
Here is the
actual petition.
If this petition gets enough signatures, is placed on the ballot, and passed in 2020. It would make any semi-automatic long gun in Florida with a capacity of ten rounds or more an “assault weapon†and ban them for future sale or possession. Additionally, it would require that Floridians register their firearms with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Failure to do so or possession after the grace period would be a third degree felony and that would automatically strip Floridians of their Second Amendment Rights. Furthermore, this would also invalidate Florida Criminal Statute 790.335 and 790.336. The prohibition on registration and keeping of lists/records.
Additionally, another more radical ballot measure is being proposed by
Stop The Killing. Their goal is to outright ban the ownership of firearms in Florida. A search of their
financial records show that they for the most part haven’t had any support. But their mission statement is plain as day.
To change the Constitution of the State of Florida to include banning the ownership of military style weapons by private persons and restricting the ownership or possession of guns by criminals, habitual law breakers, repeat abusers, and persons who make violent threats to others.
The actual petition can be
read in full here.
This if passed would basically strip Floridians of any meaningful firearm.
In the end, the Gun Grabbers haven’t quit and even though they didn’t gain control of the Governor’s office. They do have the Commissioner of Agriculture & Consumer Services’ seat and that controls Florida’s concealed carry weapon permit system. And I bet you that incoming commissioner Nikki Freid will use her office as a bully pulpit to support one of these ballot measures.