Lawmakers file to require background checks for all Florida ammunition purchases
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Two Florida Democratic lawmakers filed bills this week that would require background checks for nearly all ammunition purchases.
The new law, if passed, would be dubbed “Jaime’s Law.” A similar version was filed last legislative session, and it’s named after 14-year-old Jaime Guttenberg, a victim of the 2018 Parkland shooting.
Filed by Sen. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton, and Rep. Dan Daley, D-Coral Springs, the bill would end what the Democrats described in a press release as the “background check loophole.”
“A critical loophole exists, allowing vendors to skip conducting background checks on ammunition purchases,” a press release from the lawmakers said.
“Deaths due to gun violence continue to rise dramatically in the United States, surpassing car accidents as the leading cause of death among our children,” Polsky said. “We must take every possible precaution to save lives.”
“If firearms require a background check, then it stands to reason that the bullets causing harm should undergo the same scrutiny,” she said.
“As a graduate of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and a member of the community directly affected by this tragedy, I am fully committed to preventing such an event from ever happening again,” Daley said.
Daley called for the bill to receive “bipartisan support.”
“This commitment has driven my consistent sponsorship and advocacy for the passage of ‘Jaime’s Law’ over the past four Legislative Sessions,” he added. “Twenty-one other states already have some form of background checks in place, with six states specifically mandating background checks for ammunition sales.”
Fred Guttenberg, the father of Jaime, said those who are barred from purchasing firearms under a background check should similarly be barred from purchasing ammunition.
“Because a background check is not required for ammunition, there is no mechanism to stop prohibited buyers from doing so,” he said. “We must close this ammunition loophole, and this bill, named after my daughter Jaime who lost her life to gun violence, is a significant stride in that direction.”
“Jaime’s Law will immediately help save lives.”
The 2024 Legislative Session begins Jan. 9, 2024.
The new bills that aim to address the issue of gun violence come as other bills were filed that bans “assault weapons,” “high-capacity magazines” and limits gun carrying in several public places.
Florida recently became the 26th state to enact “constitutional carry,” or permitless carry.
That bill was sponsored by Rep. Robert Charles Brannan, R-Macclenny, and Sen. Jay Collins, R-Tampa. It was signed into law earlier this year by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
