High-caliber measures that would allow people with concealed-weapons licenses to carry firearms on college campuses and openly carry guns in public aren’t moving in the House and won’t until the Senate shows any sign it will advance the bills.
So far, those controversial proposals (SB 622 and SB 644) backed by gun-rights groups, remain jammed in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
And as long as they are stuck in the Senate, Rep. Neil Combee, an Auburndale Republican who is a key backer of gun-rights bills, said the House will focus on issues that are moving.
“Obviously, I think there is interest in the House, but without any movement in the Senate, we’ve decided to spend time on things that we can actually get done,” Combee said.
The House did approve a measure (HB 849) on Wednesday, in a 76-35 vote, that would allow people with concealed-weapons licenses to bring guns to churches and other religious institutions.
But that House-approved measure conflicts with a Senate version (SB 646), that includes rules involving religious facilities that have schools.
Sen. Anitere Flores, a Miami Republican who has been a roadblock to gun bills in the Judiciary Committee, was able to attach language to the religious-carry bill. Flores’ amendment would allow people to bring guns to church only during non-school hours.
That, Combee said, isn’t something the House may support.
“For some of the mega-churches, that doesn’t work very well,” Combee said. “They have activities going on quite a bit. Some of those places are like three-ring circuses. So it really would defeat the purpose if we accepted that amendment.”