FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Tallahassee) – Earlier today, the student led Florida Coalition to Keep Guns off Campus, The Campaign to Keep Guns off Campus and MomsRising.org delivered petitions to Senate President Andy Gardiner and House Speaker Steve Crisafulli containing the names over 10,000 Floridians opposed to HB 4005/ SB 176, legislation allowing for concealed-carry of firearms on university campuses. The petition delivery helped culminate nearly three months of education and advocacy and provided the students with an opportunity to voice broad opposition to the legislation that would force loaded, concealed handguns onto Florida’s college campuses.

Jacob Elpern, Political Director of the Florida State University College Democrats stated, “There is overwhelming opposition from the people that would be most affected; from students, faculty, University Police Chiefs, University Presidents, and parents of students. We stand with the University community in our clear opposition to allowing guns on campus. I truly believe that if we genuinely want to make our campuses safer, students or faculty are not the ones that should be policing our campuses. We need to support our campus police forces who are trained to appropriately respond to emergencies.

Kathryn Grant, Florida State Director for The Campaign to Keep Guns off Campus added, “Floridians should be proud of the students, faculty and campus administration leaders who work very hard to keep campuses safe.  It is no wonder that the state is home to some of the best public colleges and universities in the country.”

ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN TO KEEP GUNS OFF CAMPUS

The Campaign to Keep Guns off Campus was founded in 2008 to urge colleges and universities to band together to oppose the gun lobby’s agenda to push guns onto college campuses. To date, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and more than 400 colleges and universities in 41 states have joined the Campaign. Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter at @KeepGunsoffCamp

Contact: Kathryn Grant, Florida/Georgia State Director, [email protected]

Andy Pelosi, Executive Director (914-629-6726), [email protected]