Florida Session Adjourns as Guns on Campus Legislation Fails for Third Consecutive Year

Tallahassee, FL. — Minutes ago, the Florida Legislature adjourned without passing legislation in the Senate and House that would have forced Florida’s public colleges and universities to allow people with concealed weapons permits to carry virtually anywhere on campus.

The Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus (The Campaign), along with coalition partners that included the Florida Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, the Association of Florida Colleges, as well as faculty, student government associations and campus groups all advocated in opposition to help defeat guns on campus legislation for the third year in a row.

Kathryn Grant, Director, State Affairs for The Campaign stated, “As a result of the hard work of campus community stakeholders, and a united bi-artisan effort in the Florida Legislature, five bills that would have severely compromised the safety and well-being of faculty, students, staff, and college administrators have failed. Florida’s colleges and universities will now not only maintain their top national rankings, but our state’s academic leaders can continue to work towards realizing an important goal of fostering the best public higher educational institutions in the country.”

Andy Pelosi, Executive Director of The Campaign closed by saying, “Given that Arkansas and Georgia have signed dangerous legislation to allow the carrying of loaded, concealed weapons in many places on campus, today’s defeat of campus carry in Florida is a major victory for campus communities across the state.  We would be remiss for not acknowledging the bi-partisan opposition in the Florida State Senate that paved the way for the demise of this wrongheaded policy once again this year.”