Help Block all Federal Gun Control in the Sunshine State

It’s called the “Stockholm syndrome.”  And it’s a phenomenon where a prisoner begins to be comfortable with his incarceration — and starts to identify with his jailer.

We fought this problem during the last legislative cycle, when at least some “pro-gun” supporters were scared to challenge the status quo.  They balked at the prospect of a Florida bill that would block the enforcement of unconstitutional federal infringements on the Second Amendment.

But this bill is significant because it would prohibit state officers from carrying out federal gun control regulations — or from confiscating firearms from law-abiding citizens.

The bill is entitled the Second Amendment Preservation Act (SAPA), and it is modeled after legislation that has been enacted in several states across the country.

The language of SAPA has now been tweaked — from last year’s version — so unless Florida legislators hate the Second Amendment, few of them are now in a position to object to it.

The new version would prohibit Florida officials from enforcing “federal acts, laws, orders, rules, regulations” that are “in violation of the 2nd Amendment.”  Unless a legislator has heartburn over the Second Amendment itself, this shouldn’t create a problem.

The legislation would prohibit Florida officials from being conscripted to enforce these unconstitutional laws — something that shouldn’t be too radical of a concept, given that even the Supreme Court affirmed the right of states to rebuff the feds in the Printz case (1997).  

SAPA would do this by stripping funds — and removing authority — from Florida jurisdictions and officials who violate the provisions of the text.

But it would explicitly allow the processing of NFA and Brady Checks and any other action facilitating the acquisition of a firearm.

It is time for Florida to join the list of freedom-loving states who say, in the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., “No more” to federal infringements of the Constitution with the complicity of the state of Florida.

Right now, SAPA has been submitted to Florida legislative drafting services as a “template.”  And we have until February 25 for some legislator to introduce it as a bill.

This is VERY important legislation, and so we are asking you to urge your state Senator to introduce this template into bill form.

But not only that.  There are three legislators — Reps. Beshears and Rodrigues and Sen. Hays — who are strongly considering the option of taking this “template” and introducing it as an actual piece of legislation with a bill number.

Even if neither of these legislators represent you, we would ask that you cordially encourage them to introduce the bill. 

We don’t normally ask people to contact legislators who don’t represent them, but this legislation is THAT IMPORTANT.

ACTION: Please urge your state Representative — and the three specific legislators listed below — to offer the Second Amendment Preservation Act into legislation. You can do this by using the pre-written letter below to help direct your comments.

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR BESHEARS, RODRIQUES & HAYS

Rep. Halsey Beshears:  

Phone:  (850) 717-5007

Email:  [email protected]

Rep. Ray Wesley Rodrigues: 

Phone: (850) 717-5076

Email:  [email protected]

Sen. Alan Hays:

Phone: (850)487-5011

Email: [email protected]

HOW TO CONTACT-WRITE YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE:

1. To determine who your Representative is, click here and type in your street name and city.

2. Click on the “Full Detail” banner under the picture of your state representative.

3. Click on the “Email Representative” banner.

4. Once you are at your legislator’s webmail site, you can fill in your name and address, and then copy-n-paste the letter below.

—– Pre-written letter —–

Dear

I encourage you to introduce the Second Amendment Preservation Act (SAPA), which is currently in template form thanks to Rep. Halsey Beshears.

The template is modeled after legislation that has been enacted in several states across the country.  It is significant because it would prohibit state officers from carrying out federal gun control regulations — or from confiscating firearms from law-abiding citizens.

The legislation would prohibit Florida officials from being conscripted to enforce these unconstitutional laws — something that shouldn’t be too radical of a concept, given that even the Supreme Court affirmed the right of states to rebuff the feds in the Printz case (1997).  

SAPA would do this by stripping funds — and removing authority — from Florida jurisdictions and officials who violate the provisions of the text.

But it would explicitly allow the processing of NFA and Brady Checks and any other action facilitating the acquisition of a firearm.

It is time for Florida to join the list of freedom-loving states who say, in the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., “No more” to federal infringements of the Constitution with the complicity of the state of Florida.

So I encourage you to take this template and introduce the language as a free-standing bill.

Please let me know what you intend to do.

Sincerely,