Screenshot of Broward County Democratic Rep. Christine Hunschofsky on Zoom call on Sept. 17, 2024
State House Democratic Rep. Christine Hunschofsky, a former mayor of Parkland, participated in the launch on Tuesday of Legislators for Safer Communities Coalition, a nonpartisan group of state lawmakers across the country committed to reducing gun violence.
According to officials, the group will serve as a hub for legislative resources, professional messaging, strategy, research, and peer networking.
Parkland was the site of mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in February 2018 that left of 17 people dead.
“In the aftermath of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, the Florida Legislature showed courage and political fortitude by pushing forward with the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Act, which did many things, including implementing ‘red flag laws’ in the state of Florida,” Hunschofsky said during an online news conference.
“Those red flag laws have now been used over 15,000 times in the state of Florida. And we have sheriffs and law enforcement who weren’t so sure in the beginning that this was something that they thought would work, and now they are the ones using it to keep our communities safe,” she added.
“It’s important for all of us to work together to see what works in the different states and different communities in order to keep them safe.”
Florida’s law has remains intact more than six years later, despite attempts by Florida House Republicans to repeal two parts of that comprehensive bill over the past two legislative sessions, including a provision that raised the age for an individual to purchase a long gun from 18 to 21. Another GOP measure would have shortened the mandatory waiting period to purchase a firearm from a licensed seller.
Both passed this year in the Florida House, but neither moved in the Senate (in fact no bill regarding lowering the age to buy a long gun had a sponsor in the Senate).
Senate President Kathleen Passidomo had no interest in either measure, but she will be succeeded in November by Republican Ben Albritton.
Meanwhile, a federal appeals court next month is scheduled to hear arguments by the NRA that the law preventing people from under 21 from purchasing long guns is unconstitutional.
Another gun issue not addressed by the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Act but of great interest to Second Amendment enthusiasts is that Florida pass legislation allowing “open carry” — the wearing or carrying of a firearm in a clearly visible manner. Florida is one of four states that bans open carrying of guns.
“We’ve been having conversations with the new incoming Senate president and, while he’s not made any commitments, I think he’s going to be much more open to at least allowing pro-Second Amendment legislation to be heard,” said Bob White, chair of the Republican Liberty Caucus of Florida, in an interview with the Phoenix last month.