Florida Senate Approved Of A Ban On The Sale Of AR-15s For Like, 15 Minutes

What the heck Florida? GET A GRIP.

Apparently, the Florida Senate approved of a ban on sales of AR-15s for about 15 minutes. No joke. This happened.

BREAKING: Florida Senate narrowly rejects two-year sales ban on AR-15. The 21-17 vote to reject was a reconsideration of a voice vote, taken minutes earlier, that had APPROVED the ban. https://t.co/GUk0eSe8Zp

— Tampa Bay Times (@TB_Times) March 3, 2018

For 15 minutes, the Florida Senate approved a ban on AR-15 sales. Here’s the vote that overturned it. https://t.co/NWq4zwL4lx

— Tampa Bay Times (@TB_Times) March 3, 2018

The 20-17 vote against the ban saw two Republicans, Sen. Anitere Flores of Miami and Rene Garcia of Hialeah, join 15 Democrats to approve the ban.

The vote came in a rare weekend floor session as senators spent the day debating legislation aimed at responding to the worst mass killing at an American high school.

The bill, SB 7026, injects millions of dollars into mental health and school safety programs that lawmakers have long neglected and imposes new limits on gun access for the first time in three decades in Florida.

I’m all for the mental health stuff, but a ban on a certain kind of gun WILL NOT STOP ANYTHING. Are these people stupid? You really think banning a gun will stop criminals hell-bent on murdering innocent people from murdering innocent people? AR-15s aren’t the problem. Focus on our deteriorating culture and address the stupidity of gun free zones.

Here’s a pretty thorough rundown of what happened:

Next up: a two-year moratorium on AR-15 sales. Not other assault weapons, just the AR-15.

— Dan Sweeney (@Daniel_Sweeney) March 3, 2018

.@FarmerForFLSen calls this "a very reasonable compromise" between current bill and those calling for a complete #AssaultWeaponsBan

— Dan Sweeney (@Daniel_Sweeney) March 3, 2018

No. Guns aren’t the problem. I’m not compromising on that.

.@SenatorThurston "This is a legitimate compromise, when we talk about this being a first step … we're asking to have a discussion." Amendment would have study during the moratorium to determine whether ban should be made permanent.

— Dan Sweeney (@Daniel_Sweeney) March 3, 2018

"This is their number 1 requirement," @SenatorThurston says of #StonemanDouglas students.

— Dan Sweeney (@Daniel_Sweeney) March 3, 2018

It begs the question– how long until they criminalize owning an AR-15 altogether? It might sound crazy, but that’s how Democrats operate. They’re never satisfied. It’s never enough. They only have one ultimate objective, and that’s taking guns away from everyone.

"This is kinda the one thing that's consistent," @oscarjb2 says in closing, regarding AR-15 in mass shootings. "This is something that is reasonable."

— Dan Sweeney (@Daniel_Sweeney) March 3, 2018

Amendment adopted on voice vote. Moratorium on AR-15 sales is IN THE BILL … awaiting a reconsideration vote.

— Dan Sweeney (@Daniel_Sweeney) March 3, 2018

Folks, that is a shocking development. And it makes passage in the House very, very difficult.

— Dan Sweeney (@Daniel_Sweeney) March 3, 2018

Sorry, missed a couple amendments by @VicTorres_FL. Both failed. I was too busy picking my jaw up off the floor. Amendment now up is by @JoseJavierJJR to create a firearm registry in the state, currently illegal under state law.

— Dan Sweeney (@Daniel_Sweeney) March 3, 2018

Here's the language of the AR-15 moratorium amendment that passed moments ago: https://t.co/LU1U20a1yi

— Dan Sweeney (@Daniel_Sweeney) March 3, 2018

It states:

Upon this act becoming a law, a moratorium is imposed on the sale, delivery, and transfer of all AR-15-style assault rifles and it must remain in effect for a minimum period of 2 years. The Department of Law Enforcement is directed to conduct a study to determine whether banning the AR-style assault rifle should be permanent or whether regulations can sufficiently be implemented to eliminate or significantly reduce the risk of mass shootings posed by the availability of AR-15-style assault rifles. The department shall submit its resulting findings and recommendations to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The moratorium imposed by this section may not be repealed until the Legislature enacts a law that adopts, modifies, or rejects the department’s recommendations.

Luckily, this didn’t last long.

.@KevinRader says he hasn't seen a poll on the issue, but imagines "two-thirds or three-quarters" would support a firearm registry. What's the margin of error on imaginary polls?

— Dan Sweeney (@Daniel_Sweeney) March 3, 2018

RECONSIDERING amendment for AR-15 moratorium.

— Dan Sweeney (@Daniel_Sweeney) March 3, 2018

.@DSimmonsFL now arguing it doesn't make sense to ban "one particular weapon."

"There is a serious question as to any — any — ban on assault weapons," he adds.

— Dan Sweeney (@Daniel_Sweeney) March 3, 2018

.@FarmerForFLSen references @DSimmonsFL saying assault weapons ban is unconstitutional, points out ruling holding up Maryland #AssaultWeaponsBan

— Dan Sweeney (@Daniel_Sweeney) March 3, 2018

.@SenatorThurston attempt at a point trying to stop a new vote halted by Rules chair @lizbethkb, who says any senator on the floor can call to reconsider a voice vote.

— Dan Sweeney (@Daniel_Sweeney) March 3, 2018

Amendment fails 17-21. AR-15 MORATORIUM NO LONGER IN BILL.

— Dan Sweeney (@Daniel_Sweeney) March 3, 2018

GAWD that was a close one.

Now @BillGalvano recommends taking an amendment by @SenReneGarcia, but it gets voted down anyway. Yeesh, this is crazy.

— Dan Sweeney (@Daniel_Sweeney) March 3, 2018

"I've heard people say the tidal wave of anguish has done away," @LindaStewartFL says. "But not for the families. Not for the students." She is now offering an amendment for a complete #AssaultWeaponsBan

— Dan Sweeney (@Daniel_Sweeney) March 3, 2018

Of course she is.

"I'd love to support an easy solution … but I can't do it by just eliminating an instrument," @dennisbaxley says. "We have to go back to the root of the problem."

— Dan Sweeney (@Daniel_Sweeney) March 3, 2018

"This amendment would be a mistake because at the same time you're taking away our liberties, the freedoms in our constitution for everyone who lives by the rules," @dennisbaxley

— Dan Sweeney (@Daniel_Sweeney) March 3, 2018

Mhm.

Good grief Florida lawmakers. Punishing law-abiding citizens won’t protect kids. PERIOD.

h/t Twitchy