After school shooting, state lawmakers consider making guns easier to have

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On Wednesday, a 19-year-old former student with an assault rifle walked into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Broward County and opened fire, killing 17 people and wounding at least 15 more.

On Thursday, at 1 p.m., the Florida Senate Appropriations Committee will consider a bill that would make it easier for convicted felons who have had their rights restored to get a gun permit without the state first getting all the criminal background information.

Yep, you heard that right. Convicted felons whose rights have been restored can’t vote, but they can sure get their guns. Paperwork, schmakerwork.

This is in addition to a slew of proposed bills in the Florida House that will allow guns in private schools (HB 113), allow guns in public schools (HB 621), allow guns on property owned, rented, leased or used by churches or religious institutions (HB 1419) and make it easier for people to get their guns back after they’ve been confiscated by police (HB 6013). Ladra will watch as these move through committees. Stay tuned.

Today’s scheduled discussion will be about Senate Bill 740, sponsored by Sen. Kelly Stargel (R-Lakeland). Buried in a couple of paragraphs near the end of the 98-page Senate Bill 740 — an agricultural piece of legislation about oyster harvesting and water vending standards and seed labeling and restrictions on telephone solicitors — is a change in the law that allows agents with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to grant firearm permits within 90 days even when the criminal background checks are not complete.

Here’s the actual language from page 88 of the bill:

“In the event the department receives incomplete criminal history information or no final disposition on a crime that may disqualify the applicant, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services must expedite efforts to acquire the final disposition or proof of restoration of civil and firearm rights, or confirmation that clarifying records are not available from the jurisdiction where the criminal history originated. Ninety days after the date of receipt of the completed application, if the department has not acquired final disposition or proof of restoration of civil and firearm rights, or confiration that clarifying records are not available from the jurisdiction where the criminal history originated, the department shall issue the license in the absence of disqualifying information. However, such license must be immediately suspended and revoked upon receipt of disqualifying information.”

So, basically, they’re gonna take the guns back when they give them to people who shouldn’t have them. “Ooooops. Sorry, Mad Dog. Can we have that AK back?” Not sure how that’s gonna work.

Currently, gun permit applications are held indefinitely until all the background criminal history information is complete. And according to published reports quoting proponents of the bill, only 1% of gun permit applicants are denied based on incomplete information. So we need to change the law for this one percent? What possible public policy purpose could this relaxation on background checks — which reportedly was requested by Agriculture Commissioner and gubernatorial candidate Adam Putnam — provide the community? I can’t think of one.

Well, maybe, just out of respect for the 17 students and teachers killed Wednesday in a high school, maybe the committee members ought to table this for another day.

  Florida Senate, gun control