The petition that I am starting is about gun violence and gun control in the state of Florida. I would like to propose restricting access to guns and weaponry in the state.

•  Research:
  • According to the U.S. News & World Report, there have been 56 people who were injured or killed in 14 school shooting incidents from 2018 to 2023, a rate of 4 victims per shooting (Jeffrey-Wilensky & Wolf, 2024).
  • According to World Population Review, there have been 159 total school shooting incidents as of 2025 (World Population Review, 2025).
  • According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 6,598 people of single-race have died from assault by handgun discharge, assault by rifle, shotgun, and larger firearm discharge, and assault by other and unspecified firearm discharge in Florida from 2018 to 2023 (CDC, 2024). 
  • According to Everytown Research, Florida ranks 21st in the country for gun law strength. The state does not require background checks, purchase permits, or concealed carry permits. It also permits the purchase of assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, and carrying in K-12 schools by staff. Domestic abusers are allowed to purchase under emergency restraining orders even after conviction, and people with assault or other violent misdemeanor convictions can purchase guns. (Everytown Research & Policy, 2024).
• Solution Proposal - Require Florida gun owners to follow the following policies from the Everytown Research 2025 Gun Law Checklist (Everytown Research & Policy, 2024):
  • Florida | Foundational Laws
    
    • Require a Background Check and/or Purchase Permit - Requires background checks for handgun purchases at the point of sale and/or for a permit to purchase.
    • Require a Concealed Carry Permit - Requires any person who carries a concealed firearm in public to first obtain a permit.
    • No Shoot First Law - Does not have a dangerous Shoot First law in place.
  • Florida | Gun Industry and Product Safety
    
    • Prohibit Assault Rifles - Bars the purchase of certain assault-style weapons originally designed for military use.
    • Consumer Safety & Childproofing - Requires new handgun models sold in the state to have childproofing features.
    • Require a Dealer License - Requires all gun dealers to obtain a state license.
    • Require Ghost Guns Regulations - Regulates ghost gun parts, ensuring they cannot be sold without serial numbers and a background check.
    • Prohibit High-Capacity Magazines - Bars the purchase of gun magazines larger than a prescribed size.
    • Legal Accountability for the Gun Industry - Allows lawsuits against manufacturers and dealers whose bad conduct results in harm.
    • Microstamping for New Handguns - Requires new handgun models sold in the state to include microstamping technology.
  • Florida | Guns in Public
    
    • No Guns in K-12 Schools - Does not have a law allowing carry in K-12 schools by staff or other permit holders.
    • Strong Concealed Carry Authority - Allows officials to bar concealed carry by people who pose a danger.
  • Florida | Keeping Guns Out of the Wrong Hands
    
    • Emergency Restraining Order Prohibitor - Bars domestic abusers from having guns while subject to short-term emergency orders.
    • Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor - Bars gun possession by fugitives.
    • Gun Removal Program - Requires officials to identify and seek the removal of illegal guns.
    • No Gun Purchases After Violent Offense - Bar gun purchases by people with assault or other violent misdemeanor convictions.
    • Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers - Bar domestic abusers from having guns after a misdemeanor conviction.
    • Relinquishment for Convicted Domestic Abusers - Requires domestic abusers to turn in guns after a misdemeanor conviction.
    • Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders - Requires domestic abusers to turn in guns when a restraining order is placed.
    • Stalker Prohibitor - Bars gun possession by convicted stalkers.
  • Florida | Policing and Civil Rights
    
    • Crime Gun Tracing - Requires officials to trace all guns recovered at crime scenes, using the federal tracing system.
    • Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence - Issues targeted solicitations to use federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funds to assist victims of gun violence or for gun violence intervention.
    • Local Gun Laws Allowed - Does not preempt towns and cities from making their gun safety policy.
    • No Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights - Does not impede efforts to hold police accountable for excessive force and other misconduct.
    • Office of Violence Intervention - Has a dedicated office for gun violence prevention.
    • Police Use of Deadly Force Standard - Bars deadly force unless necessary to prevent serious bodily injury, does not make an exception for felony suspects fleeing arrest.
    • Qualified Immunity Limited - Limits qualified immunity, a legal shield for police officers accused of civil and constitutional violations.
  • Florida | Sales and Permitting
    
    • Authority to Deny Gun Purchase for Public Safety - Allows officials to deny sales if the buyer poses a danger.
    • Lost and Stolen Reporting - Requires gun owners to notify law enforcement if their guns are lost or stolen.
    • Sales Records Sent to Law Enforcement - Requires all handgun sale information to be recorded by officials.
    • Training Required to Purchase Guns - Requires certain gun buyers to take a training course before their purchase.

Thank you.

• References:

  • Florida. (2024, January 4). Everytown Research & Policy. https://everytownresearch.org/rankings/state/florida/  

     

  • Jeffrey-Wilensky J. & Wolf, C. (2024, January 5). School Shootings by State. US News & World Report; U.S. News & World Report. https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/states-with-the-most-school-shootings 

  • Underlying Cause of Death, 2018-2023, Single Race Results. (2025). Cdc.gov. https://wonder.cdc.gov/controller/datarequest/D158 

     

  • World Population Review. (2022). School Shootings by State 2020. Worldpopulationreview.com. https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/school-shootings-by-state