A bill moving forward this session would repeal a state law that prohibits the sale of firearms and ammunition during locally declared states of emergency. As Margie Menzel reports, a number of groups that support the Second Amendment are backing the measure.
Spring Hill Republican Senator Blaise Ingoglia says he thinks a state law blocking the sale of firearms and ammunition during locally declared states of emergency is unconstitutional. Or at the least, he says, it causes confusion. For example, he says last year, as Hurricane Helene hit Florida, the city of Okeechobee declared a state of emergency through a local ordinance.
“They enacted an ordinance in the morning, I believe, stating that, hey, just letting everybody know during this emergency, ammunition, gun sales, marketing is not allowed," said Ingoglia. "And then a lot of Second Amendment supporters started reaching out and saying, ‘You cannot do this.’ And then it was repealed, I think, later that day. The ordinance was repealed.”
Luis Valdez represents Gun Owners of America. He supports the bill. He says during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the cities of West Palm Beach, Riviera Beach and Palm Beach had all declared local states of emergency—which automatically banned the sale and marketing of firearms and ammunition.
“Which was clearly a violation of the Second Amendment," he said. "It was clearly a violation of our civil liberties, especially when Americans, at their greatest hour of need and fear of looting, of crime, of loss of business, loss of revenue, were specifically targeted because of their Second Amendment rights.”
Fort Myers Republican Senator Jonathan Martin, who chairs the Senate Criminal Justice committee, which recently heard the bill, says with hurricane season coming on June 1st, he encourages Floridians to be prepared to defend themselves. He says he and his young family have had to go to other parts of the state during emergencies.
“I’m always bringing my firearms with me, because my first responsibility as a father and husband is to protect my family," Martin said. "I think this is part of something we should talk about on the state level as far as actually encouraging people to be trained and ready and prepared to transport and travel with firearms during states of emergency. And of course, making sure that we’re not under the thumb of overbearing local government declaring an emergency to take away our rights.”
The National Rifle Association, Florida Gun Rights and Florida Carry also backed the bill. No one in the committee spoke against it. It passed unanimously.
