Flanked by survivors of the Pulse Night Club attack, three freshmen Florida lawmakers announced a bill to ban semi-automatic and assault-style weapons Thursday.

  • Florida lawmakers file statewide weapons ban
  • Bill bans sale, transfer or posession of military-stle weapons, with exceptions
  • Bill faces an uphill battle in firearm friendly Florida Legislature
  • READ THE BILLS: HB 167 | SB 254
  • PULSE ATTACK: Complete Coverage

State Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, a Democrat representing east Orange County in the 49th Florida House district, said the only way to honor the victims was with action.

“Bold, unapologetic action that will take the mass out of mass shootings,” Smith said Thursday.

The bill was inspired by a similar one in Connecticut, passed in response to the Sandy Hook Elementary attack that claimed the lives of 26 adults and children. 

The bill bans the sale, transfer or possession of military-style weapons, defined as:

Any selective-fire firearm capable of fully automatic, semiautomatic or burst fire at the option of the user.

The bill would apply to semiautomatic pistols, shotguns and rifles, defined in the bill by name. 

The legislation also prohibits the sale of large capacity magazines and other special features, and restricts the sale or transfer of the weapons.

Those who already own weapons and magazines before the bill's effective date can apply for a certificate of possession from the FDLE. 

For Brandon Wolf, a Pulse survivor who lost friends in the attack, the bill is a step in the right direction.

“I heard gunshot after gunshot after gunshot and after seeing the autopsy and their clothes, I know that at least 13 of those gunshots killed my friends," Wolf said. "That’s why I am passionate about this. That’s why we have to do something.” 

Although Wolf blames the shooter, he also blames the system for allowing Omar Mateen to walk into a store and buy a semi-automatic weapon.

“[This legislation is] a clear signal that though we can’t just stop hate today, we can certainly stop arming it,” Wolf said.

The bill faces intense opposition in Tallahassee. Florida's legislature has expanded protections for gun owners in recent years, and more bills have been filed to do so. This year's legislative session starts in March.

“It just keeps happening and at what point do we draw the line?" Wolf said. "I'm hoping this is the point we draw the line but if it’s not this time, it will be next time or the time after that.”

State Senators Linda Stewart, D-Orlando and Gary Farmer, D-Hollywood, are also co-sponsoring a version of the bill they hope to pass in the Florida Senate.