Naples news reports
After more than an hour of discussion Thursday, it appeared
legislation creating an exemption to state concealed weapons laws during
a mandatory evacuation might be dead this legislative session.
The Senate bill (SB 296) allows for those without a permit to carry a
concealed weapon when the governor calls for a mandatory state of
emergency like a hurricane. An amendment that passed 23-15 limited the
exemption to 24 hours after the evacuation is declared.
That didn’t sit well with the bill’s sponsor, state Sen. Jeff
Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, so he “temporarily postponed” his bill. With
just one day left in this year’s legislative session, it means the bill
likely won’t pass.
State Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, the amendment’s author, said
the underlying bill didn’t give clear enough parameters to when the
exemption ended.
“Where I have a little difficulty is the lack of specificity in what
your language means,” he said of the amendment, which was written by
the Florida Sheriff’s Association.
Brandes said he opposed the amendment because he didn’t want people to get in trouble during the “25th hour.”
Debate Magazine
