STATE

Democrats seek special session

More than 40 Florida House members send letters requesting action on gun violence

John Kennedy
jkennedy@gatehousemedia.com
The rotunda between the Florida House and Senate chambers. Democrats in the Florida House have rounded up enough support to force a vote on whether to hold a special session on gun violence. [AP Archive / Steve Cannon]

TALLAHASSEE — Florida House Democrats began efforts Tuesday aimed at forcing a special session of the Legislature to address gun violence.

While the Legislature’s majority Republicans appear poised to reject the demand, more than 40 House Democrats sent letters to Secretary of State Laurel Lee calling for the emergency session.

A poll of all 160 legislators is expected to follow, with more than 60 percent having to agree for a special session to be called. Similar efforts by Democrats failed in 2016 after the Pulse night club shooting in 2016 and last year, when lawmakers were hoping to steer more money to public schools.

“Recent events in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, serve as a stark reminder of the inadequate measures taken to date to safeguard our citizenry against similar gun-related violence via the passage of common-sense gun-reform proposals,” the letters read. “The targeted killing of Hispanic/Latino citizens by a domestic terrorist in El Paso, Texas, should compel us to take immediate action to safeguard Florida’s residents, including more than 4 million Hispanic/Latino residents.”

The push by Democrats comes shortly after Senate President Bill Galvano, a Bradenton Republican, ordered his chamber next month to have a wide-ranging examination of what in a memo to senators he called the “various factors involved in mass shootings.”

While Senate Democrats are urging Galvano to focus on gun reform measures, including a ban on assault-style weapons, the Senate president told GateHouse Media he thinks it’s “disingenuous” to begin the analysis with an outcome in mind.

Many Democrats and activists are skeptical that gun restrictions will emerge as part of the Senate’s review.

House Speaker Jose Oliva, R-Miami, downplayed the latest call for a special session.

“While I’m sure this request for special session is sincere and well-intentioned, we must always strive to do something right rather than just do something,” Oliva said. “We have committee weeks coming up and regular session shortly thereafter. I have no doubt that there will be robust discussions about our Second Amendment rights, mental health and their importance in our society.”

Rep. Javier Fernandez, a Democrat from South Miami, led House Democrats in calling for a special session on guns. His home city recently joined in a lawsuit challenging a new law based on legislation sponsored by Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, the state’s Republican Party chairman, which requires local governments to assist federal officials in enforcing immigration laws.

The so-called sanctuary cities ban violates equal protection laws, opponents say.

Rep. Margaret Good, D-Sarasota, was among the House Democrats writing to the secretary of state, saying a special session was needed to “address the scourge of gun violence.”

“We must take action now to curb gun violence and save lives,” Good said.