Man physically removed from Florida House committee meeting in tense exchange

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – An activist had to be physically removed from a Florida House committee meeting on Wednesday because he continued speaking when his time for public comment was up.

The Florida House Judiciary Committee was considering HB 1223, which would reduce the minimum age required to purchase firearms to 18. The bill was fled by Reps. Bobby Payne, R-Palatka, and Tyler Sirois, R-Merritt Island. It passed the committee 15-6.

The man was Maxx Fenning, founder and executive director of an LGBTQ nonprofit organization located in South Florida called PRISM FL.

Fenning warned that lowering the age to purchase firearms can result in a repeat of the 2018 Parkland shooting, where the shooter was 19. Florida raised the age to 21 after the tragedy.

“But a lot can happen in five years, and apparently enough has happened for you to forget about the marches, to forget about the hard lessons well-learned, to-” Fenning said, before the committee cut off his microphone, informing him his public comment time had ended.

Fenning began shouting and remaining at the podium as two members of security grabbed his arms and escorted him out of the committee room.