Gun prohibition group BAWN seeks AWB in Florida via ballot initiative

[DispositionMatrix]

Taking Gun Control to the People After Parkland

Do Something Florida! faces a difficult task. BAWN has approximately a year to collect 766,200 verified petition signatures, and then will need at least 60 percent of the vote in favor of the ban in a historically gun friendly state. On top of that, they’re sure to face organized opposition from gun-rights activists.

BAWN’s proposal defines assault weapons more broadly than past definitions. Instead of listing design features to designate the banned weapons, the question describes assault weapons as “semiautomatic rifles and shotguns capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition at once, either in a fixed or detachable magazine, or any other ammunition-feeding device.” This definition expands on several existing state laws by including weapons that can accept large-capacity detachable magazines, which typically make assault weapons so lethal.

While these may seem like minor details, the language was carefully chosen. BAWN hired John Mills, a former speaker of the Florida House of Representatives and the former dean of the University of Florida College of Law, to write the ballot proposal. Mills, who has authored many amendments to the Florida constitution, also worked extensively with gun policy experts from Everytown, the national gun control advocacy organization founded by Michael Bloomberg. Mills told me that they took care to phrase the question so that it did not include what most people would consider common hunting rifles. The ballot initiative also includes specific language committing to the Second Amendment, which may bolster the amendment’s chances in the event there is a legal challenge, which has been known to happen following previous gun control initiatives.

Third-degree felony for possession, and police would be exempt, of course.

 

[Dennis in MA]

Here's hoping the SC pre-empts them and the state just pulls the vote from the ballot.

 

[amm5061]

The concerted gun control push over the last couple of years is becoming very frightening to me. I can't in my living memory remember of a time when so many simultaneous attempts have been made to infringe upon our rights.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

The concerted gun control push over the last couple of years is becoming very frightening to me. I can't in my living memory remember of a time when so many simultaneous attempts have been made to infringe upon our rights.

Agreed. Same here.

Bob

 

[one-eyed Jack]

The concerted gun control push over the last couple of years is becoming very frightening to me. I can't in my living memory remember of a time when so many simultaneous attempts have been made to infringe upon our rights.

Well. if you can't control crime...…….Jack.

 

[StevieP]

I did not have guns before 2008.

The day Obama got elected I signed up for the class, and got my ltc.

My wife and sons thought I was over the top when I explained, in 2009 what would be happening. Bans and other 'controls' were at the top of the list.

I should have bet money....

 

[wahsben]

Parkland happened because of gun control. All the victims had been disarmed by government decree.

 

[Dr_Scholl]

I'm sure they'll get the signatures to put it on the ballot.

But there's no way they'll get 60% to vote yes on something that controversial, especially in Florida.

 

[CatSnoutSoup]

Well. if you can't control crime...…….Jack.

I’m guessing that sentence ends with, “then distract from it”.

:emoji_tiger: